


Beichte's Ordeal: Prologue

by Enthriex



Category: Powerpuff Girls
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-11-24
Updated: 2018-08-24
Packaged: 2018-09-01 21:07:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 25,459
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8638084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enthriex/pseuds/Enthriex
Summary: The introduction story of the RowdyRude Boys, it tells the story of their life in the mirror world, or well, 'Fractal VileTown'. It consists of two to three parts before the main story. (This story is also in comic form -in-progress- in my deviantart gallery, you can find me also by the name of 'Enthriex'.)





	1. Prologue pt 1

**January 18 , Market District.**

A blond kid from around five to six years old stood staring inside a small bakery, he was feeling nervous while he tried being discreet. Inside was a boy clearly older than him (behind the counter) and in one of the tables was a girl that looked to be around fourteen to fifteen years old; the kid seemed to be looking at them, he seemed insecure about something, or better said, there was something that was troubling him.

As he observed the boy, he could notice how calm and happy he looked; in his opinion he was really alluring... but the girl that was enjoying a cup of some beverage he ignored, was also alluring. To be honest, the girls were always cute to him and they were what he liked the most... but he couldn't help feel attracted to some boys time to time.

Actually, the kid had been visiting that place for several weeks now and the reason for this was principally to look at that boy behind the counter... he didn't know why he was attracted to him so much but he couldn't stop staring.

As he peeked more than usual, the boy from the counter turned to see him... making the boy hide right away in response. The boy leaned against the wall, he felt how his heart was threatening to burst out from his chest from having been discovered.

"He is so attractive... and that warm smile..." murmured the boy to himself.

"Hey, what are you doing?" asked a voice. The boy jumped a little out of being startled.

'Oh no... Have I been discovered? Mom did say that people caught like this are either taken to prison or punished in some other way... but... but... I wasn't doing much... what should I say?' Thought the boy as he trembled nervously.

"I was only looking at the store's decor!" The blond kid shouted.

"Huh?"

"I wasn't doing anything wrong!" the boy continued shouting though he was now out of breath.

"Ok... whatever you say..." said the other voice. The boy slowly turned to see to the voice's owner and without much time passing, his expression changed from surprised to annoyed.

"Barricade! Don't do that!" The boy shouted to the other boy who had approached him all of a sudden.

"Ah? Do what?" Barricade asked as he tilted his head to a side, he was curious on knowing what the other meant.

"Ugh, nothing, just go" said the blond kid clearly unhappy with what was happening.

"Bruise, you were staring at that boy again?" Barricade asked.

"What?! Of course not! Pfft" said Bruise as he rolled his eyes. Bruise noticed the small bundle the other was carrying. "Barricade, why did you bring Brazen? Mom said we have to be careful with him and you could have gotten in an accident..."

"I brought him with me because you took off with his things and I couldn't leave him on his own" said the orange haired.

"What?! I did not...! Oh..." exclaimed Bruise highly sure of what he was saying... if it wasn't because he spotted, effectively, the diaper bag on his person. Habit of his probably. "So mom and Momo weren't home?"

"No, they probably went out to make some errands"

"I see... anyway, take his things and go" said Bruise while he offered the diaper bag for him to take... though Barricade didn't grab it.

"Bruise, you are aware that he already knows that you stare at him, right?"

"What?! That can't be! Besides, look, there's a cute girl near where he is" said Bruise as he peeked to look at the girl. "I think it's the first in days to look different to other common girls"

"What are you talking about? I only see a mass of hair..." said Barricade incredibly confused, he didn't understand his brother.

"Oh come on, look at her from another angle, you'll see she is cute" said Bruise as he gestured his brother to walk to the other side.

Barricade walked towards the other side, peeked in attempt to see whatever was that his brother was seeing and then went back to Bruise's side.

"She looks the same to all the others..." Barricade frowned feeling troubled... his expression turned even more intense once he realized what his brother had said before. "Wait... do you really come here that often?"

"Shh, just look. She looks so peaceful, do you think she is an 'odd' one?" Bruise asked while staring from behind the glass again.

"Uhmm..." Barricade murmured unsure while he stared the same way his brother way doing. Just before he could reply to his brother, the girl turned to see them and smirked in a clearly ill-intentioned way. "No".

Both boys stepped back from the glass and stood where they were a minute ago. Bruise held his head while feeling incredibly frustrated. "Ugh! Why are all girls the same?!"

"It's simply that way where we live, sad but true" said Barricade without any tone in particular.

"Why can't we live in a place where the girls are adorable and sweet? Why are boys generally friendly but not girls? Why is the majority of them so mean?!" Bruise exclaimed "This world makes no sense".

"Yeah... yeah... although I don't see you that tired of staring at that boy..." said Barricade. The boys made a pause as they heard the door from the establishment opening. The girl from before had left the bakery and had walked behind Bruise; Bruise felt himself tense once he felt the girl groping his butt for a moment.

"Nice butt" said the girl as she kept her smirk from before. The girl walked away while giggling to herself.

"Uh-oh..." murmured Barricade as he saw his brother's face, Bruise was between ashamed and on the verge of crying. He wanted to do something about it, but, even if he was dying to do so, he remembered his mother's words... eventually rendering him unable to do anything.

"She... just... ugh..." Bruise tried to speak but found it was impossible because of his embarrassment.

"That's what happens when you are looking at older girls... Mom said we should be careful especially around the older girls. You should act your age... When does the interest in looking at girls started? I don't understand".

"I know... but they are so cute..." said Bruise "Girls intrigue me, I want to find one that isn't mean"

"Huh? What for...?" said Barricade without finishing to understand his sibling. "You need to be wary of them, Mom said there are women especially interested in harming children"

"Hey! I'm not a child!" Bruise exclaimed irritated by his brother's comment.

"You are five years old, you are a kid even if you don't like it" said Barricade before releasing a sigh. "At our age it is really easy for us to get hurt or be deceived, that's why your weird behavior worries me..."

"Aren't you interested in finding an 'odd' girl?"

"No, I know that there must be one out there but it's not of my special interest..." said Barricade "I prefer you being safe than worrying about that silly stuff".

"Ah... I knew you wouldn't understand" said Bruise as he sighed "I know there are older girls out there wanting to hurt us... and I do hate when these things happen... but I don't think it's enough reason to stop looking for one that is different..."

"Bruise, you need to understand that in this place they are like that... maybe in another place they are different but..." said Barricade sounding concerned "Please don't put yourself at risk, after all... I don't know what I'd do if something happens to you"

"There you go again... I'll stay away from older girls, my curiosity won't hurt me"

"And it's when you say those things that I worry the most..." Barricade sighed once more "Anyway, back to the boy... don't you think it's time for you to say something?"

"Nah... I'm fine just watching..."

"Weirdo, that's what perverts do... or so mom would say" said Barricade.

"W-wha...?! S-Shut up..!" Bruise exclaimed without knowing how to reply to that, though, he noticed how the bundle in Barricade's arms moved... making it a perfect excuse to change the subject naturally. "Is he awake..?"

"Uh... yes, hi, Brazen" said Barricade as he offered a smile to the baby. Bruise stared at Brazen and stared mockingly at him.

"Hi, turtle" said Bruise before sticking his tongue out. Barricade looked at his brother and frowned in response.

"Bruise! Don't call him that!"

"Hey, it's true! We were born at the same time yet he is still so little!" said Bruise.

"Stop acting like an idiot, he's your brother, so show some respect!"

"Like he respected me..." Bruise muttered while rolling his eyes. "Right, retard?"

"Stop, moron!" Barricade exclaimed progressively angrier. "If you say anything else demeaning I'm telling mom!"

"What? Ugh, you do exaggerate everything... He doesn't even understand a word of what I'm saying!" Bruise replied equally angry.

"That gives you no right to insult a baby and less your brother!"

"Ok, ok, I'm sorry" said Bruise to Barricade without really feeling any regret.

"Apologize to Brazen, not to me" said Barricade. Bruise rolled his eyes before approaching Brazen.

"I'm sorry" said Bruise while he made insincere faces of apology to Brazen, thing that made Brazen frown and spit his pacifier at him with great force.

Bruise was smacked by the pacifier on the forehead, this made Barricade laugh really hard at him. The blond wasn't really happy but part of him knew that he deserved that for not apologizing like he should.

"Ha,ha, look at me laughing" said Bruise while he held the pacifier and stared at the baby who was currently giggling. "Just look at you, laughing like this was the funniest thing in the world"

Brazen smiled at Bruise now with a new good humor, he was expressing this by grinning and laughing a lot.

"And you probably think that because you are supposedly cute I'm going to ignore what you just did" said Bruise while frowning at the baby.

"Well, he is cute so... yeah, he can do whatever he wants" said Barricade as he then looked at Brazen. "Isn't that true?"

Brazen laughed effusively and grinned probably content of what Barricade was saying.

"Yes, yes, who is the cutest little baby ever? That's you, that's you~" said Barricade while in a trance of affection for the baby, Bruise could swear he could see the hearts

"Of course..." murmured Bruise while seeing the show. "That devil's spawn has you eating from his hand..."

"Oh, Bruise... Brazen is just a baby, it's obvious he has me tangled in his adorableness" said Barricade.

"Adorableness huh..." said Bruise without really thinking much about it.

"Yes, his adorableness" said Barricade "Anyway, now that Brazen is awake, why don't we use his charisma to help you?"

"What...?"

"Uhm, the boy, remember? Boys like babies a lot, so... maybe you could start from there" said Barricade.

"Eh? No! I don't want Brazen's help!" exclaimed Bruise "I can do this by myself"

"Sure, that's why you've been staring at him for days like some depraved woman" said Barricade.

Brazen stared at Bruise with an expression that could be clearly read as 'You gotta be kidding me', Bruise noticed right away.

"Hey! Don't underestimate me, snail!" Bruise squinted at Brazen with contempt.

"Huh? Bruise! Stop looking for a fight!" Barricade scolded already tired of his behavior. "Why are you so hostile? What part of 'he is a baby' you don't understand? He needs you caring about him, not your stupid unjustified anger".

"What? Didn't you see the face he made just now? He mocked me!"

"What's wrong with you? He's only sleepy, he's not mocking you" Barricade looked at him with concern, he didn't understand why his brother thought like he did. "Unlike you, babies don't look for fights or put others down"

"But-"

"Do you want help or not? He'll fall asleep and your chance will be lost" said Barricade.

"B-But... No way! I can't speak to him, he'll think I'm weird..."

"You are weird" said Barricade "Just go inside already" as he said this, the orange haired used his hand to start pushing his brother into the shop.

"What?! No! No!" Bruise exclaimed while he was being pushed inside; once the boy behind the counter stared at him, Bruise automatically went silent and blushed intensely.

"Welcome, feel free to taste our new ice cream flavors, we also have cake, pie and other sweets" said the boy while Barricade walked towards him.

"Can I see the menu?" Barricade asked the other who kindly nodded.

"But of course, here it is" said the boy as he handed him one of the menus he had nearby. Bruise remained still while he looked at the floor, he was paralyzed at the moment by pure embarrassment.

"Bruise, what will you have? Come and take a look" said Barricade. Bruise looked slowly at Barricade and once the orange haired finished speaking, he went to stand by his side.

"Hmm... I don't really know what I want" Barricade murmured while he read the options in the menu. Brazen stared at the menú and even though he didn't know how to read, he was attracted to the drawings of the food descriptions. "Oh? Do you have any suggestion?" the orange haired asked the baby who laughed and started trying to take the menu from his brother.

The brunet smiled as he saw the youngest's excitement and couldn't help but step out from his day to day role in the shop, he really wanted to speak to the younger kid before him.

"Aw, is he your brother?" the boy behind the counter asked.

"Yes, we are brothers" said Barricade as he pulled Bruise closer.

"He looks really adorable, I'm sure that you two feel blessed to have a baby as sweet as him as a brother"

"Yes, it's really fun to take care of him" said Barricade "Bruise usually gives him his baby bottle, right?" the orange haired said while looking at Bruise expectantly.

"Y-Yes I do t-that..." said Bruise while stuttering, if it wasn't because of his embarrassment, he would be pretty angry at what Barricade was saying since he considered it really stupid.

"That's nice, and you probably feel happy to have two brothers as considered as them taking care of you" said the boy to Brazen. Brazen looked at him and smiled in response to his comment.

"What's his name?" the boy asked politely.

"Brazen" said Barricade as he eyed Bruise trying to make him speak.

"Oh, and how old is he?" the boy asked leaving the other two in an awkward silence.

"He is five-" Bruise started to say until he was interrupted by Barricade who spoke louder than him to drown his brother's response.

"He'll be one this year" said Barricade unsure of his own answer.

"How adorable, so he is around six and seven months?" the boy asked while smiling, apparently, he had not heard what Bruise had said.

"...Yes" said Bruise still nervous.

Brazen laughed as he heard Bruise's nervous response, making the boy focus his attention on him instead.

"Haha, seems he is a really cheerful kid, he laughs and smiles a lot, doesn't he?" asked the boy.

"Yeah, normally when he is mocking me" said Bruise without thinking. Barricade dedicated an inexpressive stare in response.

"That's good, a baby with good sense of humor" said the boy "It's a great sign of good health".

Brazen observed the kid with curiosity and happily stretched his little arms towards him with the intention to be carried.

"Huh?" The boy uttered once he saw the baby doing this.

"Oh, that's new" said Bruise "He rarely lets a stranger carry him... oh! But I don't mean... I uhmm..."

"That's okay, I understand" said the boy with a smile. The brunet stared at the baby and then at Barricade. "Can I carry him?"

"Of course, just be careful" said Barricade a little concerned, however, he let it happen. The boy took Brazen in his arms once Barricade motioned him to do so.

"Wow" said the boy with a smile.

"What I it?" Bruise asked still embarrassed.

"It's just that carrying a baby leaves you with a warm, fuzzy feeling..." said the boy as he saw how Brazen responded to his expression with a smile. "By the way, my name is Mitsuki"

"Nice to meet you, my name is Barricade" said the orange haired.

"And I'm Bruise" said Bruise while trying not to stutter while speaking... although the blush on his face was quite apparent.

"And, do you want to order something? I'm sorry if my questions kept you from ordering but you can order something if you want" said Mitsuki

In the moment he said that, the back door opened and a boy walked in, he had brown hair and beautiful golden eyes.

"Tsuki! I'm back! How is...?" the boy was about to ask as he saw Mitsuki but then stopped once he noticed the small bundle in his arms. "Tsuki... that's..."

"Oh, I'm carrying a baby" said Mitsuki with a smile. Barricade and Bruise kept silent and watched.

"Really?" the boy said as he peeked to stare at the baby's face. The brunet couldn't help but find the baby familiar.

"Makoto...?" he uttered without really thinking, he then stared at the two kids and went silent. As he observed the kids he realized he had made a mistake. "Uhm, hi"

"Hi" said both kids while confused. Mitsuki arched a brow as he saw his friend start panicking in a silent manner, thing that baffled him a lot.

"He is Matt, he helps me with the store, he has the afternoon shift" said Mitsuki "Matt, these are Barricade and Bruise"

"Nice to meet you" said Matt with a smile.

"And this little one here is their brother, Brazen" said Mitsuki to Matt who looked absolutely puzzled.

"I see..."said Matt while looking at the baby.

"Uhm, why did you call him 'Makoto'?" asked Bruise.

"Ah, that, sorry haha, a relative of mine has a baby with that name and I thought it was him" said Matt.

"Well, that makes sense... I suppose..." said Barricade who found Matt as a way to approach Mitsuki for Bruise. "Are they that similar?"

"Something like that... that baby is around his age... well, around his months haha" said Matt.

"So, Matt, did you buy what I told you to?" asked Mitsuki.

"Yes I did, in fact, I'll go check that thing right now" said Matt as he walked away. "Bye, guys"

The kids returned the gesture, they then stared at Mitsuki.

"Actually, he bakes the cakes that are in the showcase, he is a little weird but he is a nice person" said Mitsuki "Oh and thanks for letting me carry him, babies are really cute" said Mitsuki as he handed Brazen back to Barricade's arms.

"Not when they cry or poop..." said Bruise causing Mitsuki to laugh and Barricade to sigh at his words.

"So, I'll take a strawberry shortcake" said Barricade somehow tired of listening to Bruise.

"I want a vanilla ice cream" said Bruise still embarrassed though he was clearly less nervous now.

"Sure thing, I'll give them to you in a second" said Mitsuki while smiling amicably.

**xXxXxXXXxXx**

"Well that was nice" said Bruise looking cheerful as they walked out from the store.

"Says the one who didn't want help" They were now walking towards home, Barricade was very irritated right now because of Bruise's behavior, besides being embarrassed for nothing he was also making unnecessary comments about Brazen.

"Ok, ok, thanks, it worked somehow... I can probably approach him now..." mentioned Bruise.

"I told you that Brazen's charisma worked" said Barricade "But hey, he is a kind person... why couldn't you approach him before? He is clearly an 'odd' person" said the orange haired in a low voice.

"It's still awkward to try and talk to him... but I won't stare from afar anymore now that I managed to say something to him"

"Yeah, since stuttering and complaining about the baby means you talked to him... I still can't believe you did that" said Barricade.

"Well... at least I said something"

"Just try again and do it better next time you approach him" said Barricade.

"Yes, I'll do that"

As they kept walking towards home, Brazen frowned and tried to get Barricade's attention, when he realized he wasn't managing to, he started crying to show his discomfort.

"Ah! Brazen, I'm sorry, are you hungry? Do you need a diaper change...?" Barricade asked the baby who kept crying.

Bruise watched his brother who was nervous about the smallest one crying, even so, he didn't say nor did anything.

"Or maybe your pacifier...?" asked Barricade. "Bruise, can you hand me his pacifier?"

"Sure, here it is..." said Bruise as he took it from the bag. "Ew! It's covered in drool!" The blond one exclaimed as he accidentally let the pacifier fall to the ground.

"Bruise! Be more careful with his things! I can't believe you let it fall! The baby puts that in his mouth!" Barricade said a little annoyed.

"I know, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to" said Bruise as he picked it up. Barricade sighed and now with new found resignation took the pacifier from his brother's hands.

As if the most natural thing in the world... Barricade took the pacifier and instead of giving it to the baby right away, he sucked on it a couple of times and then offered it to Brazen who accepted it happily.

"What did you just...?" Bruise asked now grossed out. Barricade arched a brow not understanding his behavior.

"I cleaned it so the baby could suck on it, you didn't expect me to give it to him just after it touched the ground, did you?" Barricade questioned as Bruise looked baffled at him.

"Well, I did expect you to clean it... but not like that" said Bruise "Don't you know that our mouths are dirty too? Besides, the pacifier had drool everywhere, seriously, not cool"

"It's actually helpful for him, his body learns how to deal with germs and develops less allergies and hey, brother saliva is okay" said Barricade.

"How is that supposed to be okay...?" Bruise questioned not really agreeing with him.

"It's better that we that are the closest to him, next to mom, do it than a stranger... that would be gross" Barricade explained.

"I understand why mom would do it but... why you?" Bruise asked.

"I just explained it..." Barricade wasn't really content of his brother's apparent lack of attention. "And it's not just me, I hope you do it as well".

"Eh?! No way! I'm not tasting the drool of that thing!" Bruise shouted super disgusted in thinking he had to do the same his brother had done.

"You are his brother, you have the responsibility to protect him" said Barricade in a serious manner "If you have something you can use to clean the pacifier then use that but If you don't have anything in hand then I'm afraid you'll have to do that, it's better than giving it to him dirty"

"It's not like you clean it by sucking on it yourself you know... it's still dirty" said Bruise.

"I just explained it! Listen to me!" said Barricade "I don't want to think what will happen if I'm not with you two... I wouldn't want you to neglect him or something..." he added while looking at Brazen.

"I don't think anything would happen to him"

"Bruise!" Barricade exclaimed clearly pissed now. "He is just a baby! He can't do anything by himself!"

"Ha, you wish he was just a baby..." Bruise muttered not really in synch with Barricade. "Anyway, don't get angry, I would obviously take care of him if anything happened to you... even though he gets on my nerves"

"You are so stubborn" said Barricade "what am I supposed to do with you..."

"But, I'm serious, why do you behave so... weird?"

"Mom is training me to take care of you two" said Barricade "And how things are I hope I can be always looking after you"

"Training...? Why is that necessary?"

"She said it was necessary in case something happened" said Barricade.

"And why you? It sounds like you were our leader or something like that" said Bruise somehow pissed about that.

"I wouldn't say leader... more like a responsible eldest sibling" said Barricade finally smiling "I want to believe you'll actually learn that Brazen needs you"

"Ah... Barricade, can you stop talking about the same thing? Anyway... I suppose that's true, you are more of a parent to us... and that's not my style" said Bruise.

"Well... even if you are not that aware and such I guess that's fine, it's your role in some way... in my case I believe I'm here to take care of you" as he said this, Barricade kissed Bruise's cheek.

"Hey! Don't do that!" Bruise shouted not really pleased of receiving that gesture. "Just a moment ago you were mad at me, why are you being so affectionate now?"

"Well... It's just that I'm happy to be with you two, it doesn't matter how troublesome you are, I still like you the same" said Barricade with a smile.

"I will never understand why the anger slips away from you" said Bruise as he was now interrupted by Brazen's laughter. Barricade looked at him tenderly, seeing how his little brother was so happy filled him with intense glee, it was in those moments were he wished he could be with them forever.

"I don't understand it either, I just find it completely natural... I do get angry but I don't take much in reminding myself that that's the reason why I'm here, what it's truly important is that you two are okay and you are happy... and well, I would really want you to get along with Brazen better... I don't know when your crazy behavior about him started"

"Sometimes I really can't understand how come you are able to say so many corny stuff with such a serious tone..." said Bruise "I will never forget the day my perception of him changed entirely"

"Well, that will be a story for a not so... nearby future" said Barricade as he now snapped out from his perfect inner peace from before.

Brazen laughed again, he really liked how both his brothers interacted... however this time he was also trying to convey something- Bruise looked at him and noticed how he was reaching out to him with his arms.

"Oh no..." Bruise murmured as he expected the worst from seeing that.

"Oh, look at this, Brazen wants you to carry him... even with your attitude towards him" mentioned Barricade not so happy now.

"Haha, that kid only does that out of convenience" said Bruise causing Bruise to get angry again.

"What? How can you say that? Bruise, he is your brother and he likes you too!" said Barricade.

"Uh-huh, that thing hates me"

"He doesn't hate you! And don't call him 'thing'!" said Barricade "Stupid disrespectful..."

"And you were saying?" Bruise mocked Barricade's words about his affection towards him. Barricade looked at him and frowned in response.

"I like you but your behavior irritates me! We are brothers! Understand that and stop acting like an idiot!" Barricade shouted really angry while Brazen was still insisting on being carried by Bruise.

"As you say... just hand me Brazen" said Bruise as he gestured for him to pass him the baby. Barricade sighed and consented.

"I have to admit that it's very rare for you to accept Brazen's request since you are so immature... but I guess I should be grateful" said Barricade

"It's not like have any other choice... it's this or..." Bruise said as he took Barricade's cap and wore it himself.

"At least that means that there's a tiny hope for you two... I really don't like you to have that kind of relationship with the baby, you should be more considerate"

"Three..."

"The baby can feel your hostility and suffer because of it, I don't want Brazen to be traumatized because of you"

"Two..."

"Why can't things be different? When did things started to... hey, why are you counting down?" Barricade asked as he noticed this.

"One..."

"You are ignoring me aren't you... it's not fun to talk alone... idiot" said Barricade.

"Zero..."

"And..." The moment Bruise said this, Barricade's eyes felt tired "Just..." ending up falling, however, since Bruise was expecting this to happen he could manage to catch him before reaching the ground.

Brazen looked curiously and intensely at Bruise who after looking at Barricade shifted his attention to the baby who was staring intently at him.

"What are you looking at? Anyway, don't try anything funny, I have to take you two home" said Bruise not really pleased with the situation. Brazen kept staring at him and smiled in response.

"Stop acting cute, tch, you make me feel awkward" said Bruise to his little brother, he then looked at Barricade. "I seriously wonder who needs taking care of who... but I agree you behave like a parent"

**xXxXxXXXxXx**

"Uh... what just..." Barricade muttered as he looked at his room's ceiling. He was now wearing his pjs. " I was walking with Bruise and Brazen, then... Brazen!" Barricade realized that he did not know anything about the baby so he stood up quickly from the bed and hurried to find him.

"Brazen!" Barricade shouted as he went towards the living room where he found the scene of Bruise carrying Brazen while giving him his bottle, thing that calmed him instantly.

"Huh?" Bruise murmured as he turned to see Barricade, the blond looked tired... like he hadn't slept in days. "There you are... I thought you would never wake up"

"Wow, this isn't an everyday thing" said Barricade while beaming contently "Wait a moment" he said before leaving in a rush.

"What...?" Bruise murmured as he then saw Barricade leave and come back with a camera, thing he used to take a picture. "Oh come on..."

"This one goes to the family album!" Barricade exclaimed. He was very happy to see something like this since Bruise was always fighting with the baby, fight that was never followed for obvious reasons.

"Yes, yes, just carry him already, I'm exhausted" said Bruise.

"Wait, you prepared his special formula?" Barricade asked surprised.

"Yes, you weren't awake and I had to do it myself..." said Bruise.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." said Barricade "Even so, thanks for doing his for Brazen"

"Yeah, don't mention it..." said Bruise as he handed Brazen for him to carry.

"Thank heavens... so, I'll go sleep for a while, if something important happens just call me" said Bruise.

"Sure will do" Barricade nodded while Bruise walked away, he then kept feeding his brother. "Bruise can be considerate when he wants, I think I worry too much, isn't it?" Brazen said nothing since he was concentrating on eating at that moment. "I'm glad to know that even with his attitude, he can care for you, I wonder when did he start with his crazy behavior... he wasn't like that before... or at least I don't remember him being that way"

Barricade kept silent for a moment and then remembered what Bruise had said when they were outside the coffee shop, those hurtful remarks about the baby... that even so were true; he didn't like to think about that but it was true that he sometimes had that doubt in his mind.

"Brazen... I wonder when you are going to grow... we are growing older but you are still so little..." as he said this, Brazen stopped eating and instead looked at his brother's sad expression. Brazen felt a bit bad for a moment but he smiled once he reached for Barricade's face trying to cheer him up. Barricade's expression softened.

"You are right... I shouldn't say such... sad things..." as he said this, Barricade's voice broke and tears formed in his eyes. He couldn't keep Bruise's words away from his mind, about how Brazen was still the same even though they had been born at the same time. "But I can't help it, I'm scared and concerned... you should have our age, we should be able to speak and play videogames or joke... but you haven't even started to crawl..." said the boy as he then sobbed lightly. "I'm sorry... I simply can't seem to help you even though that's what I want so badly..."

Brazen's smile faltered and an expression of anguish formed on his face, he was sobbing in a way clearly different, he could feel his brother's pain so he was sobbing in a way that resembled Barricade's.

"Ah!" Barricade realized this and so changed his position to a vertical one to make him lean against his chest. "I'm sorry, Brazen... I didn't mean to make you cry... it's not right, you are my brother and I love you no matter how you look... you'll always be cherished by me so you don't have to worry about me shedding some tears..."

Bruise was listening to everything behind the wall and felt equally sad, as well as guilty for having brought that subject up, he had planned to ask his mother about Brazen's condition when he had the ideal chance. Once he heard Brazen sobbing along with Barricade, Bruise couldn't bare it and returned to his room to sleep... although before he did that, he stood in front of the window and looked at the sundown.

"A few years ago... I had no idea, since I was so little... but... since I saw Brazen in that state... I started to wonder what was the truth about him" said Bruise as he kept staring outside. "There's many things I still don't understand and so many I would like to get but... I think it's impossible to learn all that just because I want to"

Bruise walked away from the window and instead crawled on to his bed. The blond stared at his brother's crib and frowned really worried, without being able to keep reflecting about things, he closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

~"Brick... Butch..." murmured a boy as he sobbed. The boy looked around five years old, he had blond hair, his skin was white though it had a bluish color; he looked tired, this was highlighted even more by the shocking amount of needle marks on his body. He was at the moment in what seemed to be a freezer.

"Brick... Buch..." the boy murmured again. "Butch... I... what have I done...? I'm sorry, I couldn't do anything..." the boy looked weakly at the glass in front of him.

 _"How many days have passed since the last time I saw them?"_ thought the boy. _"I'm scared... I can't get out"_

As he thought this, sudden screams filled the crammed space he was in, it was a desperate sounding voice, a voice he knew so well that listening to it in such agony was always putting in question if the torture he was enduring was even torture in comparison... as he never thought... he would hear such fear coming from it.

"Butch... Butch..." the young one sobbed lightly as heard his brother's voice. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry..."

Without noticing, the voice went silent. The screaming was replaced with mechanical sounds, these were happening in response to the tube connected to his back... that tube was apparently in charge of sucking a black substance from his body, thing that made him squirm in pain.

"Ugh!" the boy felt a piercing pain on his back. "No... no..." he uttered as he kept sobbing, the fear he felt every time that tube activated was overwhelming. "Stop... my body... I can't feel my body..."

"As he said this, syringes came from the freezer and pointed towards him; the boy stared at them frightened for a moment until he finally looked down.

_"Butch... will this compensate what I did? I don't think so, but... I promise to survive to apologize... nothing I say will be able to relieve me from those obscure memories I have but if only I.... if only I..." he thought. "Butch, I'm sorry... really... I'm sorry..." he uttered as he cried sorrowfully. ~_

Bruise woke up frightened, he had seen a horrible nightmare... he didn't understand but he had a strong need to see how Brazen was for some reason. The blond stood up and walked towards the crib.

"Brazen..." Bruise murmured as he saw him sleeping. He let out a sigh in relief and without knowing, his eyes blurred with tears. He seemed to be really relieved that he was okay... for some strange reason.

"Nnnn..." Brazen uttered as he opened his eyes slowly and realized his brother was in front of him, he was about to cry if it wasn't because he saw how he was rubbing his face while tears fell.

"Did I wake you...? At least you didn't start to cry like you always do..." said Bruise "Go back to sleep..."

"..uise..." Brazen said, thing that startled Bruise. Did he just say his name...?

"You... what did you say...?" Bruise was really surprised, he was looking agape while staring at his brother. Brazen extended his arms with the intention of being carried. "Are you serious...?" Bruise couldn't believe that the baby wanted to be voluntarily carried by him. "But I..." Bruise found it really weird and was about to no accept but a strong emotion inside him led him to give in.

Bruise took Brazen in his arms and sat on the floor carefully. Forgetting he had heard him say his name earlier, Bruise looked at him and without wanting to, remembered his nightmare. Brazen stared at him with curiosity, it was really strange to see Bruise acting that way with him.

"Don't laugh but... I had a nightmare" said Bruise "I don't know who that was but he was trapped in a very narrowed space... he was crying possibly for his brother"

Brazen stared in silence, it was like he was paying attention... he was indeed finding what his brother said to be interesting, even more so since it wasn't a common thing for Bruise to sit with him and talk.

"In some other occasion I would feel really silly to be saying these things... but I know you understand me" said Bruise "In that dream, the boy seemed to be devastated about something, the guilt was eating him inside... even more than his actual situation. He started to hear screaming from someone, after suffering from hearing the screams, something started to hurt him and then..." Bruise was sobbing now, as he remembered every detail.

"...uise..." Bruise seemed to be too lost in his feelings that he had not noticed his brother saying his name once more, he couldn't as the nightmare had felt too real.

"I couldn't help feeling it so personal... like it had happened to me, I don't know, it felt so real... I..." said Bruise as he then went quiet since the words weren't coming out. "I'm sorry..."

Brazen was confused, he didn't understand the reason for his apologies though he could feel the apologies were being said from the heart... another rare thing coming from his brother.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry for being so useless... I couldn't help you... I'm sorry..." Bruise murmured while crying, he didn't know why he was saying this but he felt like he had to. The blond hugged Brazen and placed him in a way he was leaning against his chest, he was lightly crying while holding his brother's head with his hand in a kind manner.

Brazen didn't know what to think about what his brother was saying but being hugged in such a way conveyed him a really nice feeling of safety and tranquility convincing him to accept the hug. Both remained that way for a few minutes until Bruise realized Brazen had fallen asleep.

"Thanks for listening to me I guess..." said Bruise as he put Brazen back in the crib, seeing him looking so peaceful filled him with calmness and motivated him to sleep as well... he only hoped not to have any more nightmares.

**xXxXxXXXxXx**

Bruise fell asleep after like an hour and fortunately managed to sleep without problems, this until a few hours later when he was woken up by Brazen's cries.

"Uh... what's wrong...?" Bruise murmured as he looked at the crib. He wondered why Barricade hadn't gone to see what was wrong... but he soon realized he was still asleep, that his brother was still asleep didn't surprise him, Barricade suffered a strange condition and therefore he was a heavy sleeper... he fell asleep whenever and looked tired all the time, it was due to those things that he was concerned when his mother gave him too many responsibilities. "Ok...ok... I'm standing up now" he said while trying to stand up, thing that he found painful as he felt pain on a side of his waist.

As he checked to see what it was, he noticed his birthmark felt like it was burning but decided to ignore it for Brazen. Bruise walked towards the crib and peeked in to see the baby.

"What is it? Are you hungry...? Ah, wait... no, ugh, how annoying..." said Bruise as he realized he had to change his diaper. Bruise carried him and without finding it nice at all, went to the bathroom.

Time later, Bruise came back with Brazen who was now really happy.

"Grow up already, I don't like changing you" said Bruise "And you don't let me sleep"

"Uise... uise..." Brazen babbled as he tried calling him for his name, he was really grateful with his brother and was trying to express it. Bruise frowned in response.

"That you act cute doesn't make me forget you make me clean you" said Bruise. Brazen laughed after hearing him, Bruise took him back to the crib, put his blanket over him and offered him the pacifier which was easily accepted by him; after a bit he got sleepy and fell asleep. Bruise sighed and went back to the bed next to Barricade.

"Bruise..." Barricade murmured. Bruise got startled by hearing him.

"Eh?"

"Thanks for taking care of Brazen..." Barricade said as he moved to hug Bruise. Bruise didn't know how to react so he simply allowed Barricade to hug him. He felt somehow embarrassed since he thought his brother had seen and heard everything but he soon saw Barricade was sleeping peacefully. Had he really seen everything? Bruise didn't know with certainty but he preferred to think he hadn't. Without saying anything as a reply to his brother's words, Bruise simply closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

**xXxXxXXXxXx**

In the morning, Bruise woke up after hearing his mother's call for breakfast, his body felt like lead but worst of everything was that his eyes didn't really want to open... not because there was something bad with them but because waking up so early to care for Brazen had not allowed him to sleep well or so he believed.

"Hnn..." he murmured as he hid his face on the pillow, he didn't have the intention of going anywhere. Barricade was aside of him carrying Brazen, he looked really happy.

"Bruise, get up, let's have breakfast!" Barricade exclaimed with a grin. Bruise whined in response.

"You can say that because you didn't wake up to change Brazen... you really have it easy, I always have to get up and see what he wants" said Bruise while knowing that would remain unchanged as Barricade couldn't do so because of his condition.

"Oh, come on, I look after him all day, the least you can do is take care of him at night, don't you think?" said Barricade with a smile "Although, I'm sorry I can't help you..."

"I also take care of him during the day... just not as much as you" said Bruise "Anyway... okay, I'll get up" as he said this, the blond sat slowly and tried to stand, feeling a sting on a side of his body in the process.

"Guess what! Brazen can sit now! Isn't that wonderful? Now that I woke up I saw him sitting in his crib and of course, I took a photo" said Barricade while laughing feeling really proud. "It's possible that Brazen will grow now!"

"Really? Well, he sure took his time, he sure is a snail" said Bruise as he mocked him... although deep inside he was happy to hear that, he did want to see his brother grow up.

"Don't call him that!" Barricade scolded him though he soon softened his expression "But I forgive you, I know you are actually as happy as I am"

"I can't deny that it's nice to know there's been progress, but I'm not as pathetic as to get excited for something like this" said Bruise as he found himself not helping the previous day's situation. Barricade listened to him and his smiled faltered a bit.

"I know it's not much but... Brazen hadn't been able to sit before... it gives me hope so I don't care if I appear pathetic" said Barricade sounding sad. Bruise looked at him and couldn't help but feel bad for bringing his brother down when he had been crying yesterday out of desperation for Brazen's state.

"I... uh..." Bruise murmured in an attempt to correct what he had said, although, before he was able to say anything... he felt how the side of his body felt like it was burning intensely. "Ungh...!" Bruise fell from the bed as he held the origin of the pain.

"Bruise!" Barricade exclaimed while approaching him looking worried. "What is it? Does something hurt?"

"Ngh... it hurts..." Bruise muttered while wondering why his birthmark was burning like that. It was so weird, why was he feeling so much pain? It had burnt before but not like this time, he could only imagine it was something really bad... could he have cut himself? Although it didn't feel like the stinging sensation from a cut... it was the burning sensation of a scald.

"Oh no... what do I do?" Barricade asked himself though almost instantly, he called his mom. "Mom! Come! Bruise is suffering! Mom!" Barricade shouted while Bruise was still on the floor squirming lightly. Brazen watched Bruise really confused, he didn't understand why his brother was in that state, had he been hurt? Was he okay? The black haired didn't know what was happening and out of confusion he had started to cry... he didn't like to see Bruise in that state.

Her appeared soon enough, her skin was naturally red, but for some reason, when Brazen was around, Her always appeared with that human form... it was something Barricade couldn't finish to understand but that he had grown used to.

"What happened?" Her asked Barricade while she tried to see what Bruise had.

"I don't know, he was standing but he suddenly fell to the floor and started to squirm in pain" said Barricade "Mom, what's happening? Will he be okay?"

Her checked the young boy and noticed the place he was touching, as she saw this, she understood the situation. Her carried Bruise in her arms and went straight to her laboratory, Barricade followed right behind her.

"Mom, what's happening to Bruise?" Barricade asked once again.

"It seems his birthmark is hurting him" said Her "I knew it was something odd but I didn't know it would lead to this"

"His birthmark?"

"That's right... Bruise was born with an odd birthmark, I have been researching it and what I know of it, it shouldn't be a serious problem... although this is the first time I see it cause Bruise so many problems" said Her as she entered to the lab followed by her sons. Once inside, she placed Bruise on top of a surgery table as to be able to see the affected zone; she secured his wrists and ankles against the table... he didn't know why but... Barricade was feeling really nervous as he saw his brother that way.

"Mom... do you really have to place him on that thing...?" Barricade seemed worried about Bruise, he wanted to look at him but at the same time he was having a hard time with it. "I don't like seeing him like that..."

"Your brother is covering the zone I need to treat, it's necessary that he is like this or it would be really difficult to cure him" said Her as she approached the blond boy who seemed to be sweating. In how much pain could he be to sweat that way? His cold inner temperature being overridden by the pain made Bruise's state even more disturbing.

"But..." Barricade finally looked down, he couldn't stand seeing him like that.

"Barricade, don't look away, I need you to pay attention" said Her as she showed him Bruise's birthmark. "Bruise was born with this mark and this one is the one making him suffer" as she said this, Her walked away and instead went towards a rack which held several bottles.

"I have seen his birthmark before but... that's what's hurting him? Can that be removed?" Barricade asked.

"Removed... no, I haven't found a way, but in this time I have developed an ointment that can control it, I just didn't think it was necessary..." said Her looking worried. "Two years ago, Bruise experienced something similar but of less intensity so I worked on an ointment that could lessen his pain. I then did this ointment in the case of it worsening... I just didn't think It could happen" Her went back to where Bruise was and poured some over the mark in a gentle manner; Bruise whined even though she was being gentle but after a minute he calmed down.

"Wow... that ointment is effective" said Barricade very impressed by how quick it had acted.

"It depends on how much you use, if you don't use much then it takes longer to have an effect, but you shouldn't exaggerate on how much you take anyway" said Her as she then approached the orange haired. "I'm leaving you in charge of this ointment, Barricade, when you see Bruise is being bothered by the mark make him put some of it"

"I understand" said Barricade "Mom, why didn't you give it to me before?"

"I didn't think it was necessary... but seeing this made me realize I couldn't think that way anymore" said Her "You should remember that even though your brother calms down after a minute, the burning sensation only lessens, the burning will fade approximately after 5 or 10 minutes, depends on how intense it is"

"Oh... I see... but, why was he born with that? I don't have that and we are brothers..."

"I really don't understand the meaning of that mark... but I'm sure that it doesn't have to do with you being brothers, that mark he has isn't normal so I can only assume it's something personal of his, I know it doesn't sound logical but it's the only thing that comes to mind" explained Her.

"Personal?" Barricade murmured to himself "Uhm, mom, can I look at the recipe later?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm interested in knowing how to make it in case I have to prepare it" said Barricade.

"I understand, of course, I'll give you the ingredient list and the preparation steps" said Her "It's good that you look after your brother like that"

"Well, it's my responsibility to take care of them, isn't it?" Barricade responded grateful that it was happening now and not later.

"Yes, it's true" said Her with a smile, she then took Bruise in her arms and walked back to their room along with Barricade.

"Bruise..." Barricade murmured as he looked at his unconscious brother, it seems the ointment had relieved him enough and was now sleeping; Barricade couldn't help but wonder how much longer he would stay asleep.

"Barricade, don't stay there, your brother won't appreciate waking up and seeing you were waiting for him to wake up" said Her while she went towards the door. Barricade looked at her with worry apparent in his face.

"When will he wake up?" Barricade asked.

"I don't know but he shouldn't take long, give him a few minutes" said Her though she noticed the orange haired wasn't moving. "Barricade, don't worry, it's true that his birthmark affected him more this time but we managed to control it in time"

"Huh? Mom... what do you mean with 'in time'?" Barricade asked sounding unsure. "What would have happened...?"

"I don't know, Barricade... I don't even know if it can get so serious as to threaten his life" she explained while noticing the young boy was not feeling any better. "But you should know that as long as you take care of him he'll be fine"

"Yes... it's true, as long as I can look after him then he'll be okay" said Barricade "I'm his brother after all"

"That's right" said Her as she saw him calm down. "Come on, let's have breakfast, I'm sure Bruise will come when he wakes up"

"Okay" Barricade said as he followed his mother, though he couldn't help but look back at Bruise before really stepping out of the room. Barricade was following Her as he thought about his brothers. _"Bruise... I didn't know he had something like that, I still can't understand what is really happening to him and it seems mom doesn't know either... and about things without an explanation, Brazen also has a strange condition; you could say it's even more confusing than Bruise's. Bruise, Brazen... could it be they have even more things that I don't know and that I should be aware of? Why were they born that way? And if they both suffer from something... does that mean I also have something but I'm not aware of it? I'm sure Bruise didn't know the mark could affect him so much..."_

Barricade followed his mother to the kitchen while he kept being lost in thought, he felt like his world was falling since he was starting to worry for the things he didn't know about his brothers. Barricade got easily stressed when he thought about his brothers and it could lead him to feel overwhelmed, this happened a lot... and most of the time when he felt pressured, so intensely to the point of getting angry by his own incompetence... everything ended turning white for him, like something inside him was preventing him from feeling rage... or is it that his own body rejected the stress and frustration so badly that it eventually shuts down?

"Barricade" said his mom firmly "I know you have something you want to ask, I don't like you getting overwhelmed by things you can't control or understand... so just ask"

"Ah?" Barricade snapped out of his trance to see his mother. "I..." the orange haired felt very sleepy, not as much to fall asleep but he could feel how his strength was slipping away from each second that passed. "I was just wondering about the many things I don't know about them... and I was wondering if something might be happening to me and not know it"

"It's true that there are things you don't know, I don't even know all there is to know about your brothers and you... but what I know is that you are exhausting your body when you worry that way" explained Her who watched Barricade from her place near the stove, she was about to place a plate full of pan cakes on the center of the table.

"But it's natural for me to worry... isn't it?" Barricade asked while looking at Brazen, the youngest was looking back with curiosity. "I... I don't know what I'd do if something happened to them, I can't even be calm if I don't see them after a while"

Her looked at him with sadness in her eyes, Barricade's behavior brought her bad memories of when she struggled creating the three boys... it pained her to see that the three boys had one or several unexplainable defects, of course... at the moment she knew of some that were there because of the bodies they had.

Her was concerned about the three boys, she had a lot to think about them... Brazen's state was a constant reminder that something went wrong at the moment of creating him, Bruise's birthmark indicated that he was close to not being born since it looked like an incomplete piece of his body...

Whereas Barricade's issues started to manifest from his behavior, behavior that consisted on an extreme emotional attachment to his brothers; there were more details about him that turned concerning with time but Her first noticed how he was unable to do many things without the presence of his siblings: he wouldn't stop crying if they weren't nearby, he wouldn't be able to sleep, he didn't want to play if they weren't involved... one would normally think that it was a good thing that he had such preference for them but she noticed how that affection was affecting his body as well.

Without doubt, Barricade had been born to be the eldest, but his mental and physical health was constantly deteriorating... Her never knew how to teach him to distance himself from them appropriately, she never knew how to explain him that he had to care for himself as well, she constantly tried, but Barricade never seemed to understand... she was actually scared of Barricade self-destructing as he was more than only overprotective: his behavior was more of someone who had gone through something truly devastating, his strong fear of being separated from them made her think so.

And sadly she didn't know what to do, she didn't know what to say, she could only hope that as he grew... that behavior could be balanced.

"Barricade, I understand you are worried about them but you must understand that Bruise can take care of himself, he'll be fine... you don't need to worry so much" Her explained.

"But...!"

"You need to trust in your brother, Barricade, I'm sure he wouldn't like to hear you saying those things" said Her, as always, trying to make him get it.

"I trust in him... I just don't trust the world" said Barricade "I can't control that something doesn't hurt him, I know he can defend himself but it depends on what he is facing and it frightens me to think that I can't be with him all the time, if something happens and I can't do anything for him... I...I..."

"Barricade!" his mom called trying to snap him out of it as he was having a melt-down in that moment.

"Huh?" Barricade uttered as he noticed his mom's unhappy expression.

"You are scaring your brother" said Her referring to Brazen who was staring at Barricade looking sad.

"Ah!" Barricade snapped out of trance once he saw Brazen's teary eyes. "I don't know what happened to me, Brazen, I'm sorry, it wasn't my intention... it happens sometimes but I'm okay"

"Barricade... try to forget what you saw now, Bruise will be okay. But you should know something..."

"What is it?" Barricade asked.

"You have to start trusting them more, well, Brazen still needs you both, but, Bruise has your age... you can't treat him like he was a baby like Brazen" said Her.

"I know he is not a baby, mom, but I love him just like I love Brazen... even though he gets on my nerves many times" said Barricade with a smile "I want to look after him as well"

"You are ruining your health, Barricade, you can't take care of both like that" said Her "You have to trust in Bruise and care for him in a manner that is appropriate for his age"

"What do you mean with that?"

"Your way of caring for him is not okay" Her kept trying to explain, actually, it was the first time she was insisting so much without dropping the subject, she wanted to make him see things differently. "By acting like this you are just being detrimental towards him"

"What...? I'm harming him..? Why...?" Barricade asked looking really confused and concerned.

"If you don't teach him how to do things, Bruise will never know how to do them" Her explained "You can't look after someone without teaching them to look after themselves, just like you just said... it's impossible that you are with him at every moment so it's necessary that Bruise can look after himself"

"Oh... I understand..."

"You can't do everything for him, I want you to teach him some other day how to make the ointment for his birthmark, of course, after I teach you" said Her "This way, if anything happens and you are not with him, he'll be able to take care of himself and you won't have to worry about him being okay"

"Well, I guess that sounds convincing... I don't know... I hadn't thought about it" Barricade seemed to be really considering this, though, he then focused on sitting Brazen on the baby chair that was nearby... without noticing that it was weird for it to be there in the first place. "All this time, the things I taught Bruise to do were to take care of Brazen... but I must admit that I haven't taught him to take care of himself"

"Exactly, it's not wrong for you to worry for him, but you must understand that you need to balance everything... behave in a way that won't compromise your health" Her explained.

"I see..." Barricade murmured as he sat on his place to eat. "I'm sorry for worrying you, mom, I know that I get stressed a lot and that It stresses you.... I promise to work on that and think about what you said"

"I'm happy you'll consider it" said Her as she thought it was too good to be true, it might have been helpful to hear what she had to say... but it was a given that he would need to practice and try over and over... it was too much to ask him to change from one day to another.

"It's just that I find it really hard, there's an unexplainable pain in my chest when I think about me not taking proper care of them... I think I'm letting that nasty feeling control me... and I think it's possible I feel that way for not knowing what's best for them" said Barricade "I just want to be a good brother... I don't want to cause you problems with my behavior mom, it's just that I love them so much..." the orange haired looked sad once he said this, it was apparent that it was something really relevant to him.

Before Her could say anything, Bruise walked in the kitchen looking sleepy and somehow irritated.

"Barricade, stop being so melodramatic, I feel sick just by listening to you" said Bruise while blushing, he seemed to have listened part of what his brother had been saying.

"I'm happy you are okay now" Barricade commented while ignoring his comment, he was really glad to see his brother was no longer suffering.

"It wasn't a big deal" said Bruise. As he said this, Brazen cackled really hard which Bruise took as the baby laughing at him. "Shut up devil's spawn!" the blond shouted to the baby.

"Bruise..." Barricade's happy smile faltered and so a somber tone replaced his cheery one. Bruise turned to see him a bit taken aback and as expected, received a strong punch to the head. "Don't call him that!"

"But it's true..." Bruise muttered to himself. "Don't hit me, carrot head!" the blond shouted to Barricade who was now pissed at his brother.

"Shut up, banana head!" Barricade replied to the other who right away felt offended and jumped at him to hit him.

Her observed how the brothers were fighting on the kitchen's floor while Brazen clapped excitedly from his seat. Such scene was comforting to her, she would normally be mad at them fighting in the middle of the kitchen but it was something that made her think that Barricade wasn't a lost cause; he probably had needed this type of interaction with his brothers... if by this point he didn't dare hit his brother she would think his case was a serious one.

"Oh, by the way!" Barricade exclaimed while stopping the fight, Bruise looked like wanted to keep at it but Barricade was handling him with ease. "Mom! Brazen can sit now!"

"Yes, I know, that's why I prepared this chair for him" said Her as she pointed to the chair in which Brazen was sitting. "I was surprised to see you didn't notice it when you first entered the kitchen, normally it would be the first thing you would comment on"

"Ah..." Barricade murmured. "Seems like I was really distracted. But well, that's a good sign, right?"

"yes, I want to think it is" said Her "It's been years from seeing another change in Brazen"

"Huh? So... It's not safe to assume his condition will change?" Barricade said sounding disappointed.

"And what did you expect? The slowpoke has been like that for five years, a change like that one is nothing" said Bruise.

"I'm tired of you taking that attitude towards him! Brazen will grow! I know!" Barricade exclaimed to Bruise who just looked away looking bored.

"It's possible but we don't know what will happen" said Bruise.

"Bruise! Shut up! Stop angering me!" Barricade shouted making his hair lit up in flames, it was something that rarely occurred since he didn't get angry easily but it was usual for it to happen when he got angry anyway.

"Got a problem with me, huh?!" Bruise exclaimed ready to start another fight.

"Uise! Uise!" Brazen shouted while cackling, he really liked seeing them interact that way as he found it really funny for some reason.

Bruise looked at the baby in discontent whereas Barricade and Her were astonished by his attempt to talk.

"He just... he just..." Barricade murmured. Her remained quiet while sharing Barricade's astoundment. The orange haired broke the fight to put all of his attention on his youngest brother. "Brazen... you just spoke?"

"Uise! Uise!" Brazen repeated over and over. Bruise turned to see the scene and changed his pissed expression to one of mockery.

"I'm sure that's pure babbling, he started babbling that yesterday" said Bruise "I wouldn't say that's anywhere near speaking"

"What are you saying? Are you stupid or something? He just said your name..." said Barricade looking really marveled for hearing Brazen 'speak'.

"I think you are just desperate now, he is just blabbering" said Bruise while looking at his brother carrying Brazen.

"Brazen... you spoke right? Bruise is an idiot, isn't he?" Barricade inquired to the baby who smiled in agreement with what he was saying.

"Uise! Uise!" the baby cackled contently. Bruise rolled his eyes in response.

"Barricade, give up already and accept that he is just babbling... even if he appears to be saying my name" said Bruise.

"Age..." said Brazen as he looked at Barricade. For the first time, Bruise looked at Brazen looking surprised. "...Age" "...Rage"

"Brazen... you..." the orange haired murmured really moved. "You just said my name! I'm so happy!"

"He said 'Rage'" said Bruise "That's not your name"

"Bruise, don't be that way, he is trying to say my name and to me he is saying it perfectly" said Barricade soundly really cheery, in fact, he looked like it was impossible to stop smiling.

"Stop smiling, you are giving me the shivers" said Bruise as he felt awkward to the other's happiness. "I don't know what part of 'Rage' has anything to do with the name 'Barricade'"

"Now say your name, Brazen, Bra-zen" said Barricade without minding Bruise. Not helping Bruise's feeling of awkwardness, Barricade was now babbling along with the baby.

"Barricade, stop that..." Bruise said while blushing "Don't you feel ashamed of looking like a fool?"

"What are you saying? Babbling helps him to learn how to speak well... of course I don't mind you seeing me, in fact, you should babble along too" said Barricade.

"What?! Are you crazy?! The moment I try that thing will start laughing at me!" Bruise exclaimed still blushing.

"You are too shy for your own good... he is your brother, nobody will judge you for doing that" said Barricade.

"I have enough with just seeing you" said Bruise as he took his seat around the table. "Well, if you excuse me, I'm going to eat, I'm sure the food already went cold because of that dwarf over there"

Her looked at Barricade with Brazen and Bruise eating still embarrassed and couldn't help but feel that what was happening was something really heartwarming, she really liked experiencing things like this in family.

**xXxXxXXXxXx**

Once they finished having breakfast, Bruise went to take a bath while Barricade went to the living room to keep playing with Brazen, who was now showing signs of change; the orange haired was more excited than ever. Her had gone to sleep.

Bruise could barely believe what he had heard, Brazen's change in speech was giving him hope though he wouldn't admit that... he felt happy that he had tried saying his name before Barricade's, although, he wouldn't admit that either. And speaking of that... Wasn't he supposed to ask his mother about Brazen's condition? Although well, why ruin his brother's good mood? He really liked pissing him off but he didn't like hurting him to the point of going depressed...

"Ah... Barricade is a fool" Bruise murmured while staring at the ceiling, he was relaxing inside the tub filled with scorching water and foam everywhere... he didn't know why but every time that they went shopping, his mother would buy those type of shampoos. "I don't know why he has to be so melodramatic" the blond remembered what his brother was telling his mother, or well, what he had managed to listen to.

"Why is he stressed over those things? I obviously know how to take care of myself and it's obvious that I take care of Brazen... though well, that's not really the problem from what I heard..." said Bruise to himself. "I wonder if his concern is the reason for his apparent permanent state of exhaustion and the sleep attacks he has... if it is... then it's really worrying..." the boy dipped in the water a bit more. "Although that's what happens to him for being stupid, I shouldn't even care..."

Barricade was in the living room babbling happily with Brazen who happily answered him, he really liked that his brother was playing with him, it was amusing and clearly funny... he somehow felt understood.

"Rage.... Rage... uisee, uisee" Barricade babbled along with Brazen, "Now say your name! Say Brazen! Brazen!"

"Zuu" said Brazen not really happy about how that sounded.

"Hmm, I think your name is more difficult to say than ours... what if I give you a nickname? You can focus on saying that instead" said Barricade.

"Uiseee, uisee" said Brazen in response, he seemed to have taken a liking to say that when he was happy or was agreeing with something; Barricade found that to be funny.

"What can it be...? You nicknamed me 'Rage' so... what about... 'Raze'? It's a few letters from your name, it might be easier for you to say that" Barricade explained with a smile.

"Uisee" Brazen grinned effusively showing how much he liked the idea.

"And now we have similar nicknames, cool, don't you think so?" said Barricade to Brazen who couldn't stop laughing now for the glee he felt at the moment. "I'll call you that from here on to see if it helps you say it, you can then practice saying your name as it should be... although 'Raze' is really cute to me"

"Uiseee" Brazen lifted up his arms with the intention to be carried. Barricade saw this and immediately complied, he carried him in a way he could see his face.

"You can call me 'Rage', okay? Those will be our special nicknames" said Barricade while leaning his forehead against the baby's.

"Hehee" Brazen was in an extremely good mood in that moment, he wanted to keep seeing his brother as happy as he looked now.

"Now say your nickname, say 'Raze'" said Barricade "Raze, RA-ZE, R-A-Z-E, Raze"

"Age... Age..."

"No, Raze, say your nickname, come on" said Barricade while pouting a bit disappointed. "Well, I'm sure you'll say it, right now I'm just glad that you have said our names" the orange haired went silent after this, he had gotten lost in his thoughts for a moment... because... where was Momo? "Hey Raze, tell me... have you seen Momo? I'm a bit worried, I haven't seen him in a while..."

"Age...?" Brazen looked at Barricade, he didn't understand why he looked so down all of a sudden. Brazen smiled as much as he could as he tried to cheer him up.

"Hmm? What is it? You think Momo is fine?" Barricade asked him, he felt like Brazen was trying to answer him. Brazen nodded happily, thing that made Barricade grin back. "Well... it's true that I have no reasons to think that something bad happened... maybe I should relax a little" shortly after saying this, Bruice's voice snapped him out of his happy trance.

"Barricade! Hey! Barricade!" Bruise shouted from the bathroom. "Help me! Hurry!" As he heard this, Barricade stood up right away looking a bit worried.

"Huh? Hmm... Brazen, wait here a moment, okay?" Barricade said while sitting him on the floor, he then looked at his brother who stared back while smiling. The orange haired went silent for a moment and after a short debate in his mind, decided to take Brazen with him. "Okay no... it wouldn't be responsible, come, let's see what Bruise wants"

Barricade took Brazen in his arms again and calmly approached the bathroom's door, he knocked several times before entering... what he saw rendered him speechless...

"Bruise... you..." Barricade lowered his voice as he processed the situation. Bruise was looking down trying to hide his particular bluish blush, one that was highlighted by how he was frowning.

"I know, I know... just shut up and help me" said Bruise really ashamed but angry about his situation. Brazen observed the scene and couldn't help but laugh really hard which caused Barricade to do the same. Bruise glared at him while his orange haired brother kept laughing along with his baby brother.

"Barricade...! We already went over this!" Bruise exclaimed as he watched his brother laugh, he was really offended by his brother laughing at his disgrace... although he knew he had a right to laugh since it's not like his brother teased him or really returned the insults from him.

"Okay, okay, I'm sorry... it's just that Raze's laughter is contagious" Barricade explained. Bruise looked at him confused. Raze? What was with the name?

"Eh? Raze?"

"Yes, Raze, that's the nickname I gave him so that he can learn how to speak" said Barricade with a smile after calming down completely. Bruise frowned without understanding the importance of that. He focused his attention on the baby who was still laughing.

"What's wrong with him? It's not that funny" said Bruise while pouting. Barricade just smiled, there was no way to defend himself from the baby, Brazen had all the right in the world to laugh at Bruise being trapped in the tub with it and partial part of his hair frozen.

"I see you can't stop freezing half of the bathroom" said Barricade as he went closer and with one of his hands started to thaw the bathtub as well as his brother's hair.

"Don't be so cocky now, I also have to come here and help you since you end up evaporating the water"said Bruise still embarrassed.

"Yeah, yeah, don't feel so bad now, these things happen" Barricade commented as he finished thawing everything."Ah, I'll boil the water for you so you can keep enjoying your bath"

"Yeah... thanks" Bruise replied while letting out a sigh. After Barricade had left the water scorching once again and Bruise deemed his powers to be in control, he took the liberty to dip in the water some more, to the point in which his collarbone was completely hidden. "So... your name is now Rage and he is Raze?"

"Haha, you don't have to call me that if you don't want to, it's just something I think is fine the baby does since he can't pronounce well yet" Barricade explained. Bruise went quiet and instead got lost in his thoughts.

"I see... that's better since I would feel really foolish by calling you that" said Bruise. Barricade chuckled slightly at that.

"Bruise, I don't mind if you want to call me that as well... in fact, I think Raze will force you into calling me that at some point" commented Barricade sounding really sure about that. Bruise looked skeptically at him.

"And why would I do that? Those are nicknames between you two, it has nothing to do with me"

"Because if we have a nickname... that means he'll give you one so that we can call each other by those nicknames, you are his brother after all, isn't that right, Raze?"

"Uise...!" Brazen beamed while responding, he seemed to agree with that very strongly.

"He doesn't even know what you are asking... you need to understand that the evil spawn hates me, he wouldn't give me a nickname" Bruise explained. Barricade looked intrigued by that... did that mean...

"Does that mean that you are interested in having a nickname?" Barricade asked while smiling evilly, expression not really common in his person but really necessary for the situation.

"Eh?! I didn't say that" Bruise exclaimed while blushing strongly. Barricade let out a small laugh for seeing his brother's embarrassment, though, this was interrupted by the sudden sensation of his sight gradually shutting down.

Bruise looked away out of shame, he hadn't noticed his brother on the brink of falling, he only looked once Brazen decided to call for him in desperation for the sense of danger he was feeling; as he turned around, Bruise froze by the shock of what he was seeing and so he was unable to react.

"Barricade...?" Bruise murmured as he saw how his brother in an instant had changed from laughing to falling apparently unconscious. The blond extended his arm towards his brothers and without really thinking about it, instantly created an ice hand that caught both Brazen and Barricade. "What a scare... it really happens out of nowhere..."

"Uu...Age... Age..." Brazen murmured as he stared at his unconscious brother on the ice hand, without being able to hold back, the little one started to cry out of confusion.

"Brazen..." Bruise murmured as he saw the baby crying. He understood what his baby brother was going through, it was really concerning and confusing to see that happening to Barricade... but it was something he would need to know; that no matter what they thought, they'd had to bear with their brother falling unconscious when they less expected it.

 


	2. Chapter 0.5: Prologue pt2

“Barricade…?” Bruise murmured as he saw how his brother had stopped laughing in an instant and was now about to let Brazen fall, this because of his dangerous condition. The blond reached for them with one of his hands without really thinking about it and swiftly created an ice hand which caught Brazen and Barricade. “Whoa, what a scare… it really happens out of the blue…”

“Uu…Age… Age…” Brazen murmured as he looked at his unconscious brother on the ice hand, without being able to hold back, the little one started crying as he didn’t understand what was happening.

“Brazen…” Bruise looked at the baby. He understood what he was going through, it was really upsetting and confusing to see that happen to Barricade… but he would have to know once he grew up.

Bruise stood from the tub, he took a towel and dried himself as quick as he could; he hadn’t finished taking his bath but he needed to take Brazen and Barricade with his mom as soon as possible. As he approached the ice hand that he had created, he bent down to take Brazen in his arms.  
  
“Come, Brazen, we need to go… ugh!” Just when he was about to carry his little brother, Bruise felt a cramp on his shoulder, the pain was so strong that he was paralyzed for some seconds trying to put up with it.

“Uise…?” Brazen looked at his brothers with concern as he cried, Barricade didn’t seem like he was moving and Bruise looked to be suffering. Why? He didn’t know what was happening. It made him feel really scared and insecure.

“I’ll… carry you now… wait, don’t cry…” Bruise looked at Brazen who was shedding tears as he looked back, it was frustrating to seeing him that way but he couldn’t do much about it at the moment. As a minute passed, the intense and horrible sensation in his shoulder ceased. What was that? He didn’t understand but he was thankful for being able to move.

Brazen reached out his arms towards Bruise, who, fortunately, was able to carry him. The blond stepped out of the bathroom with only a towel around his waist and so decided to call his mom.

“Mom! Hey! Mom!” Bruise exclaimed over and over expecting his mom to hear him. Without much time passing, Her approached him looking worried.

“Yes? Is something the matter?” Her asked as she saw how Bruise, wearing only a towel, carried Brazen.

“Barricade fell again all of a sudden… Brazen got really scared, and well, I’m just worried” Buise explained. “Mom, does that mean Barricade will never stop falling like that? I don’t understand…”

“Oh, Bruise…” Her murmured as she stood in front of him. “Your brother’s condition is really complicated…” Bruise frowned in response.

“Complicated? Mom, I want to understand what’s happening! I can’t even say anything to him, so I want to at least know what he has!” Bruise exclaimed as he urged his mother to carry Brazen. “All this time I’ve taken it as something inevitable because it’s something you’ve said happens… but… why? What does he have exactly? Why can’t you tell me about it?”

Her kept silence as she listened to her son’s questions, how would she reply to that? There wasn’t a simple answer in reality…

“Bruise, you can’t explain that to your brother… because if you do, he will not want to carry Brazen, he’ll live with fear of himself…” Her explained “It’s difficult to understand, but Barricade should not know of this”

“Mom! It’s true that Barricade is a worrywart but I think it’s okay you tell him, at least he’ll be more self-conscious…” said Bruise. Her shook her head disapprovingly, Bruise softened his stare as he saw this and instead looked at the floor really puzzled. “I don’t get it…”

“It’s a difficult subject, Bruise, I need to plan on how to tell him” said Her “You are his brother so I agree that you should know exactly what he has… but, it’s not the moment yet”

“Why? Why wouldn’t it be? What’s going on?” Bruise asked. Her looked at the bathroom and then to him.

“Well… first of all, you are in just a towel and you haven’t dried yourself well, if you don’t go back to finish bathing, it’s possible for you to catch a cold” Her explained. “And secondly… your brother is unconscious in the bathroom, isn’t he? I don’t think that’s an appropriate place to leave him when I’m explaining something important to you”

“Ah… yes, maybe you are right…” said Bruise as he then noticed how Brazen was stilling sobbing quietly. “Mom… why is he still crying? Everything is fine now”

“It’s just pure sentiment, as you said, he was scared so let’s say he resents what happened a little” Her explained “Don’t worry, he’ll get over it… as for your brother, place him in one of the sofas in the living room as you bathe. I’ll take care of Brazen in the meantime”

“Yes, okay…” Bruise murmured as he walked towards the bathroom; however, he stopped and looked at his mother once more. “Mom… I hope you tell me about Barricade later, I really want to know what’s going on”

“Yes, Bruise, I’ll make sure to explain” Her replied without looking back. Bruise sighed as he listened to her; he then got in the bathroom and observed his brother on a newly formed puddle. “Ah… what a mess” he murmured as he carried Barricade towards the sofa while ignoring the water for a moment. His brother couldn’t stay wet for long due to the innate ability he had, so he didn’t even have to bother in drying him before placing him over the sofa.

Bruise went inside the bathroom once more and decided to finish bathing before freezing everything again, he wanted to think but he couldn’t. He couldn’t since he felt pressured by his powers interrupting his line of thought. He slid down the tub, letting himself go for a few minutes… and it’s just… everything felt so silent all of a sudden, why was it so strange to him to not hear his brother laughing at him?

Minutes after the blond finished bathing, he got out now dressed and walked towards the living room, where he had left Barricade previously; he had left the puddle frozen for Barricade to melt after he woke up… action not taken voluntarily. Bruise approached the orange haired and sat beside him, watching him momentarily.

“Barricade, why do you keep falling unconscious like that? It’s so frustrating… Brazen could have gotten hurt if it wasn’t…” Bruise stopped to contemplate what he was saying. “Okay, no, not really, he wouldn’t get hurt over that. But… I wouldn’t like seeing him hitting the floor and to be honest, uhm… It’s not like I’d say this if you were conscious but: you worry me, idiot”

Barricade opened his eyes slowly, thing that left Bruise looking slightly surprised. ¿Had he heard him? The orange haired looked at him from the corner of his eye for a few seconds in complete silence, leaving the other feeling nervous.

“I’m sorry for what happened in the bathroom… I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable” said Barricade simply. Bruise wasn’t sure if that meant that he had heard him or not…

“That… don’t worry about that, nothing happened…” said Bruise not really convinced of what he was saying. Barricade looked at him silently, apparently expecting something. What was he expecting? Bruise didn’t know but that silence confused him. “You want to say something?” the blond asked as he analyzed the way his brother was staring intently at him.

“No… I don’t think so, what about you?” Barricade asked. As he saw his brother shaking his head in denial he then sighed. “And Brazen? What happened to him? Is he okay?”

“Yes, I fortunately caught him when that happened… same with you, neither got hurt” Bruise explained. Barricade felt relieved, newly keeping silence… silence that was starting to make the blond uncomfortable. “What…?”

“What?”

“You are looking at me like you were expecting something… but I don’t know what you want me to say or do…” said Bruise, who, as he said this, noticed Barricade’s expression turned to a sad one or maybe… disappointment?

“No… I was just thinking about something, but… it’s nothing” said Barricade as he decided to change the subject. “Hey… Bruise, have you seen Momo? He hasn’t come back home and I don’t know where he could be…”

“No, I know the same as you… that means, nothing really” Bruise explained. “But, I don’t think he’ll take that much before he comes back” Barricade nodded.

“I see, I hope he doesn’t take long…” Barricade commented. Bruise was about to say something else; however, Her came back to the living room, managing to see the two on the sofa.

“Barricade, I see you woke up” said Her. Barricade looked at her and nodded. “Brazen is sleeping right now, he should be fine when he wakes up, so don’t worry”

“Thanks, mom” said Barricade. “Mom, have you seen Momo?”

“He should be in VileTown, I don’t think he’ll take long to come back, but well, speaking of VileTown… I’d like you two to go to Candid’s farm and bring the fruits and vegetables of this list” Her explained as she approached them and handed the list to Barricade.

Bruise smiled as he processed the information. They would really go over to Viletown for an errand? Hearing those words from his mother had made him incredibly happy. Barricade, on the other hand, looking away not really content, he didn’t seem to be in the mood to go out.

“Barricade? Are you feeling okay?” Her asked as she saw her son notoriously sad. Barricade waited for a moment before answering.

“Mom… is there nothing you want to tell me?” Barricade asked out of nowhere. Question that didn’t seem to understand Her.

“Not really… do you not want to go? Though I can’t send Bruise on his own, I’m not confident enough” Her explained. Bruise frowned as he listened to this.

“Hey! I can come and go if I want to!” Bruise exclaimed. Her shook her head.

“You worry me too much to let you go on your own, you’re too young; if you don’t go with your brother then you have to go with an adult” Her explained “I know you have escaped several times and that Barricade has gone looking for you, but, I’m not okay with that. I don’t like you leaving without permission and without supervision”

“But mom…!”

“Yes, okay, let’s go see Candid then” said Barricade as he crumpled up the list. Her and Bruise observed how he stood up and walked towards his room.

“Where did he go?” Her asked. Bruise looked a bit concerned about his brother’s attitude.

“I’m sure he went to change and brush his teeth, he can’t go wearing his pjs after all…” Bruise said. The blond had the sensation that his brother was acting so weird because of what he had heard him mention the way he fell unconscious; however, he didn’t feel capable of telling his mom about it.

“Ah, I understand. Well, I’ll be waiting for you two along with Brazen, don’t take too long” said Her to her son who nodded.

“Mom… we have a lot to talk about…” said Bruise “I hope we can talk when I come back”

“Oh, Bruise… yes, I’ll answer you everything you want, but well, I’ll leave you with this” she said before leaving her son alone in the living room.

Bruise hugged his legs against his chest and leaned his head over his knees; he was waiting for his brother to get changed so they could go. “I don’t understand… Barricade, what’s up with you?”

After murmuring this, Bruise stayed in that position without thinking on anything in particular until his brother finally approached him. Barricade looked at him; he found it curious to see his brother curled up into a ball on the sofa. Was he okay?

“Bruise, hey, are you okay?” asked Barricade while sounding a bit apathetic. Bruise looked up to see Barricade in front of him.

“Yes… I am, I was just waiting for you. We should hurry” said Bruise as he stood up. Barricade nodded and soon both kids were enveloped by a pink smoke, smoke that usually teleported them to Viletown.

The children then appeared in one of the streets that leaded to the hill where Candid’s farm was located. Bruise looked around, noticing the snow everywhere.

“It seems to have snowed!” Bruise exclaimed sounding excited. “Isn’t it awesome? We have to ask Momo and mom to play with us next time!”

“Yes, I suppose so…” Barricade said without giving much importance to what his brother was saying, he walked in the direction of the farm without really waiting for the other and without paying attention to the snow like his brother was doing.

Bruise, who was still looking excitedly at his surrounding, overjoyed on the winter sight, remained really confused about the tone his brother was using. He turned to see him and realized that he wasn’t waiting for him.

“Hey! Wait up! Don’t go so far ahead!” Bruise shouted now running towards his brother to walk beside him. “Hey… what’s wrong? Why are you acting so weird?”

“Weird? Weird how?” Barricade asked without looking away from the farm ahead. Bruise looked down, noticing the footsteps in the snow while figuring out what to say.

“You are not acting like you usually would… you’re too quiet, that bothers me” said Bruise “What’s the matter?”

“I… I don’t have anything, it doesn’t matter” said Barricade. Bruise frowned, he allowed Barricade to go ahead of him for a bit and he then bent down to make a snowball quickly. “Bruise?” Before he could turn around completely and see why his brother wasn’t following him, he received a snowball straight to the face.

“If you don’t want to be hit with more snowballs, you better tell me what’s bothering you, right now!” shouted Bruise, who had several snowballs prepared. Barricade frowned, more than irritation, he found what his brother said to be annoying… more so because he wasn’t in the mood.

“No, Bruise, don’t do that, I don’t feel like it…” Barricade said just before being hit again with another snowball. “Bruise, no-! without managing to finish his sentence, another snowball hit him.

“I told you! If you don’t tell me, I’ll keep hitting you with snowballs!” exclaimed Bruise, who kept throwing snowballs at his brother who was only covering himself from them.

“Stop! Bruise! I don’t feel like playing!” Barricade exclaimed while still being hit with the snowballs. Bruise kept throwing them without minding his brother’s complaints.

“Then defend yourself if you don’t like it!” Bruise shouted while he followed his brother and kept throwing the snowballs from a decent enough distance to bother the orange haired.

“Stop it!” Barricade shouted before running towards the farm, he really didn’t feel like playing along. Bruise observed how his brother left running. What was going on with him? What could possibly be bothering him that much as to not play along with him?  Well… maybe he should stop after seeing that, or at least that would be the normal thought he should respect… of course, if it wasn’t because he could keep annoying his brother the same way.

Bruise smirked in a self-satisfied way as he saw him away from him. Wasting the moment of glory against his brother? Never. The blond took more snowballs and ran after his brother intending to keep annoying him; it was extremely fun to him to see him fleeing.

Barricade got to the top and rushed to enter the farm, he didn’t want to deal with Bruise still throwing snowballs at him when he didn’t want to play. The orange haired looked around, the barn seemed to be closed, nothing was growing on the field, since it was all covered in snow or frozen… Was Candid maybe in the greenhouse?

“I’m getting closer!” Bruise exclaimed from afar, making Barricade hurry to look for Candid. Why was he in such a hurry if it was just Bruise? He didn’t know… he just wanted to find the eldest already so his brother calmed down and stopped annoying him.

Barricade run towards the greenhouse, but he soon noticed the smoke coming from the house’s chimney, so he approached the house’s door and rang the doorbell instead.

“Candid! We came for some things!” Barricade exclaimed as he saw his brother approaching happily with the snowballs. Before the door of the house opened, Bruise threw another snowball at his brother, ball that was disintegrated by Barricade when he deflected it now fed up of the other pestering him like that.

“Hey kids!” The pink haired greeted. Bruise stood aside of his brother and smiled at him.

“Hi sir! How are you?” Bruise asked with the snowballs still in his arms. Candid laughed at the sight.

“Good, good, just that I’m not that old… kid, I’m 17 so I’m just a teen, you know?” Candid explained. “But anyhow, you came to the correct place for vegetables! Can I look at the list?”

“Yes, here it is” Barricade said as he handed him the list. Candid checked the list and nodded right away-

“Good, good, it looks like I have everything you were asked to get. Give me a minute to gather everything it says” said Candid to the kids before entering the house. “You can come in and sit in the living room if you want; it’s cold outside after all.

“You think? I think it’s really pleasant outside” answered Bruise. “But yeah, it’s okay, right, Barricade?”

“Yes, of course, Candid is a good friend” said Barricade as he entered the house along with Bruise. The kids walked towards a big sofa that was in the living room and sat to wait for the fruits and vegetables that they were asked to get.

“To think I’d get visitors out of the blue, sorry for not having anything prepared… I normally have something to give you two” Candid explained from the other room. “But you can watch tv if you want, there’s children programs too”

“Ah, yeah… don’t worry about it, we are fine” said Barricade. He was staring at nothingness as he waited, he didn’t mind staying that way. Bruise pouted as he saw him that way… it seems he would need to throw him more snowballs on the way back.

“I haven’t seen you two for quite some time! But well, I suppose your mother had you guys safe at home as the events happened” said Candid. Bruise thought about what Candid was saying, yes… effectively, he was right.

“It’s true, mom didn’t let us come to Viletown in December… and we were also at home for half this month” Bruise explained. Barricade looked at him from the corner of his eyes for an instant before looking away.

“Although that didn’t discourage you from coming to see that boy” said Barricade. Bruise frowned, he didn’t like his brother bringing up that subject.

“Oh? Are you talking about the coffee shop boy?” Candid asked.  Bruise looked surprised by that, he stared at his brother in shock.

“How come he…?”

“Oh, sorry, Barricade told me about the times he had to go get you, haha” Candid explained. Barricade nodded.

“Yeah… and he made me go look for him yesterday again” said Barricade. Candid cackled loudly before stopping. The sound of boxes smacking wood could be heard.

“Hey…! It’s not like I did that that much! Well… no… not as much I think…” Bruise murmured this last thing while sounding unsure. Candid came back to the room with them, he was carrying a pair of sacks with vegetables and fruits inside.

“Haha, well, it’s good that kids are so carefree… although it might not be that good in this city…” said Canding while looking briefly concerned, he then smiled and offered them the sacks. “Here you go, this is everything from the list, say hi to your mother from me when you get back”

“Sure, by the way… how was the event yesterday?” Barricade asked Candid who looked puzzled at him. “There was an event yesterday, right?”

“Yes…. The snowball war, it was brutal, as always… although well, it’s not a story appropriate for kids” Candid explained. Bruise looked at him with curiosity, it wasn’t appropriate again?

“How much happens in that event that it’s not appropriate for us?” Bruise asked. Candid remained thinking for a few seconds.

“Well, it’s more a general thing, the events in Viletown are really violent… your mother does well by not telling you a lot about them. It’s not nice to explain what they’re about, those are things that citizens must live and well, those are not things you guys should worry about right now” Candid explained.

“Right now?” Bruise asked. Candid looked away not really happy for the question.

“We have talked about this before, kids… if I said one thing… is that when you guys grow up, you’ll have to participate in these events” Candid explained. “But since you are 5 year olds, it’s almost against the law to let you know what the events consist of. So, don’t worry and live your lives with ease”

“That… sounds way dramatic” said Barricade not really happy to hear that, he suddenly had a slight need to know what they would do; he wanted to prepare for that. “Is there no way to find out what they’re about?”

“Of course there’s a way, little one, but…I don’t recommend you looking it up, those are really not things you should know about” Candid explained as he headed to the door. Both kids stood up and left the house once the pink haired opened the door for them. “I’m not going to talk about that with you two… but you guys know that you can come by anytime and talk of whatever else. You two are very welcome here”

“Thank you” Barricade replied now carrying one of the sacks. Bruise nodded and smiled before looking at his brother leaving; once Candid closed the door, the blond one didn’t hesitate to keep up with his snowballs attack.

Barricade felt how a snowball crashed against his head, thing that made him step up his pace to distance himself from the other. Bruise laughed to himself as he saw the other hurry and decided to hurry up himself to keep annoying him.

“You won’t escape from me! I’ll keep throwing you snowballs until you can’t stand them anymore!” Bruise exclaimed as he kept throwing the snowballs. Barricade turned to see him looking angry. Wasn’t he getting tired of it?

“Bruise! Stop that!” Barricade exclaimed as he ran away. Bruise saw this and cackled in his mind; Barricade looked so funny trying to climb down the hill while being careful yet as fast as he could. The blond ran in the same way after his brother and without doubting in for even a second, he threw himself against Barricade, making him fall facedown the snow.

“I got you!” Bruise held his brother firmly, although, with the impulse they had, they ended rolling down the hill in an apparent fight for power. Barricade was more focused on getting his brother off him whereas Bruise only wanted to keep him down and show him he couldn’t escape from him; the blond laughed intensely as they rolled; laughter that gradually and eventually ended up infecting the orange haired.

Both stopped rolling as they reached the beginning of the hill, showing Bruise on top of Barricade. Bruise apparently had won against his brother this time. Both boys were laughing loudly, temporarily forgetting the sacks that had fallen on their way down.

“Bruise, you’re so reckless!” Barricade exclaimed between laughs. Bruise was laughing the same way while holding him down against the snow.

“Maybe, but I won! I really did it!” Bruise exclaimed as he softened his hold and sat on top of him. Barricade offered him a gentle smile; he couldn’t get mad when he saw him like that.

“Yes, I believe so, just because you are a crazy, scatterbrain” said Barricade as he then turned around and saw the sacks forgotten along the way. “Ah… the sacks fell…” Bruise followed his stare.

“Yeah… at least only a few veggies fell out…” said Bruise as he stood up while staring at the sacks. Barricade stood up as well and made his way to get them. Bruise watched his brother walking towards them.

“Barricade, hey, tell me what you are hiding already!” Bruise exclaimed. Barricade walked towards one of the sacks and bent down to put the vegetables back in as his brother shouted.

“Why do you insist that I have something?” Barricade asked his brother after picking up one of the sacks, he then walked to get the other one. Bruise approached his brother as the latter recovered the vegetables buried in the snow.

“You’ve been so quiet since we got here, it’s more silly from you to hide how you feel” said Bruise. “What’s wrong? You’re normally blunt with what you are thinking”

“I don’t know, I just think it’s better to talk about this later, I’m not in the mood” said Barricade. Bruise frowned at the answer and so looked away.

“You heard something, didn’t you?” Bruise asked. Barricade walked back towards Bruise now with both sacks, as he approached him, he handed him one of them and headed towards the city.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about” said Barricade after a few seconds of getting ahead of his brother. Bruise looked at the ground, he really believed that his brother had heard something he shouldn’t… or at least that’s what he felt when his brother didn’t want to say anything.

The blond stared at the back of his brother as they entered the city, it’s not like he didn’t want to tell him what was in his mind, but…

“Barricade, it’s not that I don’t want to explain, mom simply won’t let me” said Bruise “Don’t be mad, if it depended on me I would tell you but…”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about, it’s better to go back” said Barricade as he looked down for the answer, why was it so painful to hear that answer from his brother? “It’s not good that…”

Bruise looked concerned at the way Barricade gave off this semblance of sadness as he walked. Was something different now? No… it’s just that the blond perceived different sensations coming from his brother… how? He wasn’t sure, but, if his brother seemed mad or frustrated before; he now looked sad. Bruise ran and hugged his brother from behind; he couldn’t stand seeing him that way.

“I really want to tell you, but… mom is going to scold me” said Bruise while sounding worried. “Don’t be that way… I promise to tell you, it’s just…”

“Bruise, don’t worry, I’m not mad or anything” said Barricade “I understand”. As he said this, Bruise frowned somehow irritated.

“Don’t lie! At least tell me what of what I don’t say upsets you! Don’t lie to me!” Bruise shouted. Of course, as he shouted this, he noticed the variety of people peeking out from their windows to see who was shouting. “Uh…?” the blond looked around confused by the curious stares of the people.

“Bruise, calm down, you’re drawing attention to us… we have to get home first” said Barricade. Bruise separated from Barricade and without expecting it, he felt how he held his hand and pulled gently for him to follow him. “Don’t make eye contact; we have to find an empty place and safe to go back”

“Right…” said Bruise as he nodded, though he then frowned when he realized the current situation. “Wait! Who put you in charge?!”

“Bruise, don’t do this now please… we just have to silently go to an alley…” said Barricade. Bruise didn’t look happy but decided that his brother was right, besides the fact that the person staring was actually making him nervous…

Both boys walked for a few minutes until they entered an alley that looked unoccupied, there were normally people hiding so they had to be careful and choose well where to enter.

“I think this is fine” said Barricade as he entered the alley. The alley looked really trashed, a fight had clearly taken place the day before; however, Barricade tried to ignore this to be able to return home. Bruise gave a few steps inside the alley; he had gotten separated from Barricade to observe the place.

“This place looks really bad… think a lot of people got hurt? Being here gives me a bad sensation…” Bruise explained as he hugged his stomach. Barricade looked at the brick wall as if he was searching for something… something he wasn’t finding. “In fact, I have nausea…”

“I don’t get it, why is nothing happening? Normally, we would have…” as Barricade said this, Bruise was attacked by a pair of women who had held him all of a sudden.

“Eh? No! No!” Bruise exclaimed as he was hugged by them. Barricade turned to see him right away and looked at the scene speechless.

“Bruise?” he managed to say as he barely could react to what he was seeing. The women laughed as they held his brother. Two others had come right after, they were really pleased to see the trapped boy.

“Well, well… what is a boy so cute like you doing here? Are you alone?” one of the women asked, without Bruise not being able to reply, she looked at the orange haired who looked still surprised at the scene. “Hmm… he is cute too…”

“No! Don’t do anything to him! Leave him alone!” Bruise shouted as he tried to remove himself from their hold, he was so nervous he couldn’t manage to gather strength from anywhere.

“Bruise!” Barricade exclaimed as he started running towards them. Bruise didn’t want them to hurt him; he didn’t even want his brother to do anything since he was afraid he could fall unconscious for trying anything.

“No, Barricade! Don’t come!” Bruise shouted to his brother who stood astonished after hearing him. “You are weak! I don’t want you to do anything unnecessary!”

“Haha, how cute, they seem to have forgotten we are here… you, go for that kid and put him to sleep, it’ll be easier if we take him when unconscious” said one of the other women.

Barricade looked at the ground without knowing what to think, he was really confused by Bruise’s words. ‘Weak’? That’s how his brother saw him like? His duty was to protect him; however, Bruise was protecting him instead… Did that mean he wasn’t worth of trust? The orange haired could feel how his body was reddening out of wrath, of course, until the shouts of the women holding Bruise snapped him out of his world.

The woman walked in a hurry towards the orange haired; though she had stopped to look perplexed at the way the blond released himself and ran towards the other boy. Bruise held Barricade’s hand and pulled him towards the end of the alley attempting to escape.

“Bruise? Hey…” said Barricade as he saw how Bruise stood in front of him with the intent of protecting him while the women approached them more and more. Barricade tried changing places with him, if it wasn’t because Bruise’s hold was solid enough to not let him. “I can confront them, Bruise, let me go, let me do something, you…”

“Go away!” Bruise shouted. His skin turning bluish, detail Barricade noticed right away.

“Bruise! Wait! Don’t do it! No!” Barricade shouted sounding scared. “Bruise!” the blond kept shouting at the women who didn’t seem to be stepping back.

“Leave us alone!” Bruise screamed as hundredths of icicles thrusted from the ground with force, suddenly piercing the women. It seems he hadn’t killed them since the icicles hadn’t touched any vital points. Barricade looked stunned at how the women froze automatically by other effect of Bruise’s powers.

“Bruise…” Barricade murmured as he shook his head. The orange haired released himself from his brother’s firm hold and took him by the shoulders to turn him around. His eyes looked to be shining bluish tones… though, what caught his attention was how he broke in a loud display of pain. “Bruise! Hey!”

“It hurts… it hurts…” Bruise murmured as he closed his eyes withstanding the pain that was spreading all over his body. Barricade looked at the women and proceeded to thaw them from afar, he assumed they would be unconscious anyway.

“Mom! Hey!” Barricade exclaimed, causing the smoke to envelop them and take them back home.

Both kids appeared automatically in their home, they were in the middle of the living room where Momo was sitting reading the newspapers; as he saw them appear, Momo put all his attention on them.

“Bruise! Bruise!” Barricade exclaimed as he saw his brother on the floor shivering. Momo stood up from his place and walked over to them.

“Barricade! What’s going on?” Momo asked now that he was by his side. “What’s wrong with your brother?”

“I don’t know! He appears to be suffering! I…!” Barricade tried to explain, yet, as he saw ice spreading over his brother’s face, he remained paralyzed. “Bruise…?”

“Bruise!” Momo tried to move him, however, Her, who had approached them seconds after Momo stood to see Bruise, held his arm forbidding him from touching the blond.

“No! Don’t touch him, Bruise can’t have contact with anyone, it’s dangerous” Her explained. Barricades looked at her, worry in his expression. Her looked at him and nodded slowly.

“It’s okay for him to touch him, Barricade” Her explained. Barricade looked vexed. “Only you can help your brother”

Barricade stared at his mother momentarily, he thought on what that signified and so turned to see Bruise once more.

“Bruise…” Barricade saw him writhing in pain and with astonishment observed how he was gradually freezing. “Don’t freeze! Bruise!” The orange haired reached out to the ice layer that was covering his brother’s face and proceeded to thaw it, action that apparently was hurting his brother as well.

“No! Barricade! Stop! It stings!” Bruise screamed as he felt the pain, Bruise’s skin turned reddish as it was thawed, it looked like it had been pulled off by force.

“But Bruise, if I don’t do this then you’ll freeze!” Barricade shouted as he kept thawing him, of course, as he saw his brother twisting in pain, he decided to stop.

“Don’t be silly, I can’t freeze… I’m made of ice… I’m made of ice…” murmured Bruise nervously. He was freezing? Really? That was possible? His worst nightmare was materializing at that moment…?

“Mom… what do I do…? I’m hurting him, but… if I don’t do this, he’ll end up freezing..” said Barricade as he saw how the recently thawed layer was forming again. “No… why…?”

“I can’t freeze… I can’t freeze…” Bruise murmured over and over as he then felt how half of his face went numb. “No… no…” the blond looked to be distracting himself from the pain by the fear of realizing that he was indeed freezing up… regardless of how impossible it was to him. “Barricade! It doesn’t matter it hurts! Thaw me! Don’t let me freeze! I don’t want this! I don’t!” Bruise screamed as he felt the stinging effect of his brother’s power against his skin. “Ugh… Nnn…” The blond could feel the tears forming in his eyes cause by the fear and pain.

“No… there must be another way, I can’t keep hurting you like this, it’s too aggressive…” Barricade thought on another solution for a moment, he then tried hugging Bruise and humming a melody that was barely audible.

The strange ice invading Bruise started to melt slowly and clearly, wasn’t leaving any red marks behind. Barricade noticed the ice grew back right away so he assumed it was going to be a lengthy process.

“Mom, I need to take Bruise to the room, could you bring us more covers? This is going to take a while and I think the covers could help” said Barricade.

“Yes, Barricade, I’ll bring you the covers in a bit” said Her. Barricade nodded and proceeded to take his brother between his arms to the room. The orange haired helped Bruise to get on the bed and immediately lied down with him in his arms.

“No, Barricade… what’s happening… my body hurts... I don’t want to freeze, I don’t want to…” Bruise murmured sounding nervous, nervousness that seemed to quicken the spreading of the ice.

“This ice that you are generating is different than usual… it won’t melt with ease and it hurt you” explained Barricade. “But, Bruise, don’t worry… I’ll stay with you until the ice stops regenerating”

“I can’t absorb it, this ice won’t let me absorb it, when I try… nothing happens” said Bruise. “Barricade… my body hurts…”

“Everything will be fine, I will protect you from the ice, Bruise” said Barricade as he hugged his brother a little bit more firmly.

“Why is this happening…?” Bruise asked as he felt weaker by the ice covering him. Bruise kept staring at his brother’s chest momentarily, his brother was hugging him so tight and he didn’t seem to get better. “Barricade, I think I’m going to end freezing anyway…”

“No, Bruise, what are you saying? I just told you I would protect you, don’t say you’ll freeze!” Barricade exclaimed as he saw his brother closing his eyes. As he said, the ice was coming back.

“I…”

“Don’t fall asleep! I don’t know what can happen if you fall asleep! The ice is spreading with more force, I…!” Barricade exclaimed as he intensified his power, he didn’t want to hurt him but he was growing desperate for not thawing him effectively.

“I feel like this has happened before… but, I don’t want… this sensation is overwhelming me…” Bruise commented as he pressed his eyes tight. “The pain is gradually fading away…”

“No, Bruise, enough! Don’t freeze! Let me protect you!” Barricade exclaimed feeling frustrated. “Why didn’t you let me protect you back at the alley?! I have to protect you!”

“Because… you are my brother, idiot” murmured Bruise somehow irritated by his brother’s question. “I didn’t know I had to have another reason”

“You said I was weak, do you really think that way about me? Why? I could have easily handled those women… you didn’t have to risk yourself like that…” said Barricade as he observed the ice melting bit by bit.

“That’s how I feel all the time… you don’t have to do everything yourself, you’re not the only one who can be useful” said Bruise “Although… it seems I ended up causing problems this time, sorry but I don’t regret anything”

“Bruise, I don’t know why your powers are affecting you that way, but… I will help you return to normal, don’t be scared, I won’t let you freeze up”

“Yes… I know…” Bruise murmured as he whined. “But hurry, I feel weak and it still hurts even if it’s lessened”

“Yes, I’ll manage, I assure you”

Her entered the room seconds after, she carried several covers, covers she spread on top of the boys one by one. She observed the way Barricade hugged Bruise and how Bruise panted trying to put up with the pain. Why did they have to go through that?

“Barricade, will you be okay with so many covers over you?” Her asked her son who didn’t seem to mind that.

“I’ll be fine, Bruise really balances the heat I can feel with the covers, so they don’t affect me… just that when this ends the bed will be very wet” the orange haired commented.

“I understand, don’t worry, it’s something necessary” said Her “Barricade, when your brother is fine, I need you to explain him what happened”

“Yes, I’ll explain him later… thanks for the covers” said Barricade to his mom who was about to exit the room. “By the way… what about Brazen?”

“He is asleep in my room, don’t worry about him” said Her as she looked away uncertain of something. Barricade sighed in relief now that he knew about his younger brother. “By the way, it’s okay if you let your brother sleep, in fact, if you sleep it might speed up the process”

“Okay, I’ll try” the orange haired said as he felt better now that he knew it was okay to let him sleep. Her exited the room, closing the door in the process. Barricade looked at Bruise who was still trying to withstand the ice growing back. “Bruise, how are you feeling?”

“I think… the covers are helping, it’s just that it feels weird… the first layer of this ice hurts but the other layers make the pain lessen… but I don’t understand, why are my powers trying to trap me? Am I dying or something like that?”

“I don’t think so, Bruise, I’m sure it has a solution… we need to talk with mom so she explains this to us, so… don’t freeze, okay?” Barricade said, managing to make Bruise laugh.

“It’s not like I want to freeze, stupid… asking me not to freeze is so silly” said Bruise with a tired smile. “You won’t stop me from freezing just by asking”

“You think so? I think it does work, you shouldn’t freeze, Bruise, I don’t want you to freeze, please…” Barricade asked his brother while using more of his own power.

“Barricade… you are an idiot…” Bruise murmured before he fell asleep, Barricade held his brother’s head in a protective manner; he would help him no matter what.  The orange haired kept that position and with his power activated until he fell asleep himself thirty minutes later, the constant use of his power had exhausted him with ease; however, he kept using his power even as he dreamed.

~”You have no shame… sleeping with a smile on your face… Does this seem like something good to you? I thought you said we would get out, I though you would stay with me, but… you were wrong. Were you so naïve to think this would be all…? Boomer… are you happy with this?” A strangely familiar voice resonated from somewhere. Barricade was in a red looking space, his surroundings were completely of a dark red tone, it could be said he was standing on nothingness, or… was he hovering?

The orange haired looked around trying to find the origin of the voice, this, until he heard the voice again.

“But I can’t say I’m any better… we felt ourselves invincible. I laughed at the word ‘death’ without knowing what it truly means… In the end, my arrogance took my brothers away from me… and now, I can’t do anything for them anymore”

“Who’s there?” Barricade asked. The voice seemed to have stopped but it suddenly spoke again.

“My confidence kept me from acting right away so I ended up hurting them… please, forgive me… forgive me for being such an awful brother… If I could I would change everything…! But why is there no way to change anything?!”

“This is…” As he listened to the words said by the voice, Barricade crumpled his shirt just above the middle of his chest, it hurt to hear those things for some reason… “My chest hurts… why? I don’t recognize this, but… Why does it feel so personal?” The orange haired felt how his tears trailed down his eyes; however, as he rubbed them off, he noticed these were black in color.

“Why? Why are my tears black? I don’t get it…” Barricade murmured scared before listening to the voice once more.

“Silence’s lament… death of tranquility…” As he heard these words, Barricade stated to feel how his body melted, how was that possible? He didn’t know, but, his arms were deforming so much that they were starting to fall just like parts of his face that turned into a black liquid substance, thing that was completely unknown to him.

“No…! What is this?! No! No! Nooo!” Barricade screamed as he ended melting completely.~

“No!” Barricade screamed as he opened his eyes, he looked really altered and his breathing was now quick and erratic. Bruise looked at his brother feeling concerned, he had been sleeping until just that moment.

“Barricade… what’s wrong? You woke me with your screaming…”

“I’m sorry, Bruise, I just had a really ugly nightmare…” said Barricade as he looked at his brother who was staring back with tired eyes. “But anyway, how are you? Did the ice stop?”

“Yes, it did… I don’t know what happened” said Bruise as he felt how Barricade moved closer to him and hugged him tightly expressing his joy for hearing that. “So, you can stop using your powers now”

“Yes, I’ll do that” said Barricade as he stopped emitting heat. The orange haired felt dizzy all of a sudden and ended up holding his forehead with one of his hands in an attempt to recover. “Ugh…”

“Yes, you used your power for so long…” said Bruise. “But, ehm, thanks… you saved me”

“I’m happy to know you are good now, Bruise, there’s nothing that makes me happier” said Barricade as he then felt how Bruise smacked a pillow against his face-

“Shut up! You are so corny…” said Bruise while embarrassed for his brother’s words. “I’m sorry for being like that; I didn’t want to look so desperate”

“You were scared, Bruise, I get it” said Barricade as he moved the pillow away from his face. “It was unexpected, we didn’t know what could happen to you or if it could be stopped…”

“And the bed is now just gross” said Bruise as he stood up from the bed. “I¿ll go take a bath, I don’t want to get sick over a wet bed”

“I’ll take a bath with you, I’ll help you not freeze the bathroom again” said Barricade. Bruise frowned at him.

“That by the way, you left a puddle in the bathroom” said Bruise “I suppose you could dry it since you’ll come with me…”

“Oh, how odd that you’re okay with me joining you…”

“Do you want to take a bath with me or not?!” Bruise asked sounding angry. Barricade smiled and nodded.

“But Buise, hey… you sure you feel better?” Barricade asked. Bruise looked away.

“Well… I’m not freezing up anymore, am I?”

“I don’t know… you look down…” said Barricade. Bruise sighed as he heard this.

“I’m just tired, that’s all… you should be tired as well” said Bruise “I don’t want to talk about this right now”

“Mom seems to know about this… we promised to talk when you felt better” said Barricade. Bruise looked a bit hopeful.

“Really? Although she may not want to tell me or something, I don’t know…” said Bruise contemplatively.

“Does it really matter if she wants to tell you or not? Just tell her you want to know, mom has to give in” said Barricade as he headed towards the door. “Besides, there’s something else we have to talk about…”

“Yes, you are right I guess, I’ll demand her to tell me” said Bruise with a confident smile. “Although, let’s do that after bathing”

“Yeah, I agree with you” said Barricade as he left the room. Bruise stared at the door wondering what had happened to him. How was it possible that he could freeze if he was basically ice? He never thought that his greatest fear, fear that didn’t bother him at all for being ridiculous, could turn to be a reality.

Bruise followed Barricade to the bathroom and proceeded to take a bath, if he wasn’t wrong, it was the third time in the day. He also had no way of telling Barricade that he was actually relieved for taking a bath with him because he could watch that his brother didn’t fall unconscious when he was bathing. Even though he might never finish to understand, no matter how many times it was explained to him… he just didn’t want him to get hurt.

Half an hour later, the kids went back to their room to change and then headed to the living room where soon came Momo followed by Her. Once they took their seat, they looked at their parents with curiosity.

“Mom, what’s going on?” Barricade asked. Her looked to be wanting to say something but she then lost the will to do it and decided to talk about something else..

“Barricade, you told me you would explain what happened” said Her. Momo, who was standing aside of her with Jomo on one of his shoulders, nodded interested in listening.

“Ah, that…” Barricade murmured. “Well, when we were coming back home after getting the vegetables and fruits…” as he said this, he remembered he didn’t know where the sacks were.

“Don’t worry, we recovered the sacks so you kids didn’t lose anything” Momo stated.

“Where were they?” Bruise asked as he still looked down.

“In an alley, luckily we managed to bring the sacks without them being ransacked or anything” Momo explain. Bruise nodded.

“I see… I’m sorry for leaving them there” said Bruise.

“Same here, I’m sorry for forgetting the sack” said Barricade.

“Don’t worry about that, it’s better if you explain me what happened” said Her. Barricade nodded and continued explaining.

“We entered an alley where I thought we could teleport home… but after asking myself why we couldn’t, a group of women appeared and attacked Bruise” Barricade explained. Bruise frowned at this, he didn’t like how that sounded, he didn’t like to hear that he’d been so useless…

“Barricade tried to help me but I didn’t let him, I got so nervous and ended up attacking them with my ice powers” said Bruise. “I started feeling bad and my body started to hurt after I attacked them”

“I see… it was clearly because of that” said Her. Bruise and Barricade looked at her expecting the explanation. “I know you want an explanation but…”

“Mom, please, stop hiding things from us, we have to know these things sooner or later and I rather know sooner” said Barricade “I want everyone to be able to know everything, I don’t like secrets…”

“I support Barricade, mom, it’s best to know everything, I don’t think it’s good that you are hiding the truth from us” said Bruise. Her looked perplexed; however, she remained thinking on the kids words.

“I don’t know, you are so little to…”

“Come on, mom, please, it doesn’t matter how difficult the truth is: we want to know” said both Barricade and Bruise.

“I… okay, okay, I’m not happy with this but I suppose there are things that are inevitable” said Her. Bruise and Barricade exchanged satisfied smiles between them. “But you have to accept the truth, it doesn’t matter how hard it is. You can feel bad, cry or get angry but you’re going to have to accept it and live with it eventually”

“Yes, that’s fine, we understand” said both at the same time.

“First of all, before saying what I’m not sure to tell you two… you should know the teleportation with my special smoke fails if there are witnesses that can see you disappear… so if you see it fails, you must assume that you are not alone” Her explained. “When I send you to the city to do errands, you can’t draw attention to yourselves; the city is populated with ill-intentioned women; the only reason to let you go is because you have superpowers; however, you can’t use flashy powers like fire or ice”

“Really, she didn’t like the idea of letting you guys go even when you have powers, I had to intervene” said Momo. Barricade and Bruise looked at him with a big grin on their faces.

“Thank you, Momo” said both before looking at Her again.

“And now, what is difficult for me to say… I’ll first talk about the explanation for this incident. Bruise. I’m afraid your body is still trying to adapt to your powers, things like freezing the bathroom don’t hurt you since you’re used to it, but, a strong use of your powers causes you to have secondary effects” Her explained.

“But mom, that ice that was covering me is not normal, it can’t be just a secondary effect…” said Bruise as he wasn’t so convinced by his mom’s explanation.

“That ice seems to be a defense mechanism of your body, when you use your powers in such an intense way and exceed your capacity; a signal is sent to your brain, signal that automatically makes you start to freeze with that kind of ice… it’s an extreme measure to protect you from abnormal or mortal damage” Her explained. “That’s what I figured out in these years of studying your condition”

“Then… I don’t know how to use my powers? That’s what you’re telling me…?” Bruise asked sounding disappointed. “If I use them then it’s bad?”

“What I’m trying to say is that your powers are so enormous that your body cannot withstand them, you get hurt easily after using any of them” Her explained “I have no doubts that several of your powers haven’t surfaced because of the same reason; however, they will surface when your body starts to adapt”

“Then it’s not impossible for me to use my powers…?” Bruise asked. Her shook her head.

“You just need adequate training” said Her. Bruise smiled at this. “And a lot of patience”

“It’s okay, if that’s all I need then I think I can make an effort” said Bruise “Bu, mom, what’s up with Barricade being the only one who can help me when I’m freezing up?”

“That kind of ice is so resistant that it needs of really high temperatures to melt, thankfully though, your brother’s powers can provide the intense and constant heat that you require to thaw it. By the way, I fixed the bed, I changed the blankets and covers so you don’t need to worry for leaving it wet”

“But why can’t anyone else touch it?” Bruise asked “Ah, and thanks, mom…”

“That’s because anyone who isn’t Barricade, would experience immediate freezing and due to the nature of the ice, they’d probably suffer from frostbite therefore the loss of a limb” Her explained. “Your state of freezing is really dangerous and delicate, that’s the reason your brother is the only one that can deal with you”

“Oh, I see… I get it, then, as long as I train I can handle this” said Bruise “If I train I won’t have to cause Barricade any problems”

“Though, when you are training you’ll probably suffer from freezing again, are you prepared for that?” Her asked. Bruise seemed unsure about it.

“If Bruise will get better with time then I can help his body resist more and more… I don’t mind thawing him if it happens again” Barricade said. Bruise smiled slightly at this, although, to be honest, he was still feeling insecure.

“Thanks, Barricade, your help is appreciated” said Her to her son, who was looking at her with hopeful eyes. Her sighed in resignation. “Barricade… you…”

“Yes?” The orange haired needed to know the truth, it didn’t matter if it was going to upset him, he need to know the reality of things.

“Are you sure you want to listen to this?” Barricade nodded to Her’s question.

“Whatever that you have to tell me… I want to understand it now and not later” said Barricade. “Besides, I’m sure I have an idea already of what it is… I just want to hear it from you to understand it better”

“Okay, then…” Her looked away, she was trying to think on how to tell him without being so cruel, but, sadly, she had no idea how that could be; no matter how she said it, it was something cruel by nature. “Barricade, since you were very little… you’ve had sleep attacks, these make you fall asleep wherever… this sleep disorder is called: ‘Narcolepsy’.”

“Eh? Mom, what are you talking about?” Barricade asked without really understanding what he had heard. “I thought that something weird happened to me time to time and I heard Bruise mentioned how I fell, but… what you’re saying sounds like… sounds like…”

“This critical condition isn’t normal in children, these attacks can happen whenever and so they put your life at risk when doing whatever” Her explained as she watched both her sons staring at her with horror.

“Is there a way to control that? Can I do something about it?” Barricade asked. Bruise looked at his brother really scared.

“It can’t be…” Bruise murmured as he thought on his mom’s words. Was she trying to say…?

“Unlike Bruise, Barricade, your condition is not treatable. It’s something you’re going to live with your whole life” Her explained while looking at her son, who at the moment seemed paralyzed by the information.

“But, mom! There has to be a way to control those sleep attacks! Is there no medicine for that?” Bruise asked for Barricade’s sake since the orange haired couldn’t speak at the moment.

“I’m afraid not, Bruise. Barricade’s condition transcends human narcolepsy since he’s presented it since very little… I could even dare say that he was born with it” Her explained. “It shouldn’t be possible, but… things are simply that way with him”

“I…” Barricade murmured while looking nowhere in particular, he didn’t know what to think. “So… it’s true”

“Huh? What thing?” Bruise asked as he turned around to see the hurt filled expression of his brother.

“It’s true that I’m weak…”

“No! Barricade, you’re not weak! You only fall asleep! But you’re not weak…” Bruise said.

“That sounds annoying… it seems… I’m just a burden” said Barricade as he felt tears welling up in his eyes. He looked at his mom and slightly smiled. “Thank you for telling me, mom, I really preferred knowing the truth…”

“Baricade, hey…” Bruise tried to say something but his brother interrupted him.

“It looks like… I still can’t change anything…” he murmured to himself before talking to his mom. “I’m going to bed, if you need something, I’ll be there” he said as he stood up.

“Barricade! Don’t do that! Hey!” Bruise exclaimed as he saw his brother leaving.

“I’ll be fine, I just need to be alone” said Barricade as he walked faster towards his room. Bruise looked at his mom looking really disconcerted.

“I told you I didn’t want to tell him, Bruise” said Her. Bruise looked in Barricade’s direction, after a few seconds of not saying anything, the then frowned really irritated.

“But he is not useless… he is not…” said Bruise as he looked at the floor. “Barricade is not useless”

“I warned you that your brother could be afraid of himself, he is probably feeling insecure right now” Her explained.

“But I’ll always be with him! I can help him whenever he has a sleep attack! I can be his support!” Bruise exclaimed. “Why can’t he trust more in me?”

“Bruise, I understand your feelings… but, even though you say you’ll be with him all his life… it’s impossible that you are with him at every moment, you both have to live your own lives” Momo explained. “Besides, just think about what this condition forbids him to do…”

“But… but… those are only human limitations! Even if Barricade falls when he is playing, a blow like that won’t break him! We are not as fragile!” Bruise exclaimed. “And I don’t care what you say, I’ll be with him! I’ll help him all his life if it’s necessary!”

As he shouted this, Bruise could feel a strange wave hit him, it hadn’t been attack per se but… he had felt his heart being squeezed. The blond looked around trying to find the origin.

“What’s the matter, Bruise?” Momo asked as he saw the boy looking around.

“it’s just… I felt something squeezing me inside, a really distressing sensation…” Bruise explained as he looked towards his room. “Why…?”

“I think it has to do with you shouting all that” said Her. Bruise was confused by his mother’s comment, what did that have to do? “You should know your brother has super hearing, just like you do… he must have listened to what you said”

“But, mom, what does him hearing about my strange sensation has to do?” asked Bruise with curiosity.

“Bruise, I think you’ve come to realize that you have more abilities… if I’m not wrong, that wave you felt must be the sadness and distress that your brother is feeling right now” Her explained.

“What…? Why would I be able to feel such thing? I don’t get it…”

“It’s a human ability called ‘empathy’; however, as you have superpowers, it seems you have the capacity to feel the emotional energy from a distance” Momo explained.

“Then, you are saying I made him cry?” Bruise asked to Momo and his mom looking for answers. “Why would I make him cry? I didn’t say anything bad… did I?”

“Your brother is suffering right now, since he just understood that even though he wants to protect his brothers, he must let you guys protect him too” Her explained. Bruise arched a brow.

“But I don’t see that as a reason for Barricade to suffer…” said Bruise. Momo shook his head at that.

“Don’t you know your brother? He has a strange need to take care of you two, feeling like he is unable to… is something cruel to him” said Momo. Bruise didn’t seem to agree with him.

“But he can still take care of us! He doesn’t have to feel that way! I have to get him out of the room!” Bruise exclaimed as he stood up with the intention to walk to his room.

“Bruise! No, don’t do that” said Her. Bruise stopped to turn and see his mom, he looked at her with worry. Why couldn’t he go?

“But mom…”

“I know you are concerned over Barricade’s sadness, but, it’s better to give him his space, I don’t think he’ll listen to you at this moment” said Her “He has it hard when it comes to give importance to himself, having a condition that forces him to allow others to take care of him is mortifying him”

“Ugh! How stubborn! I’m not complaining about him having to depend on him to train…”

“Bruise, your condition is easy to handle, Barricade’s is not” said Her “You’re not the only one that will have to take care of him, it won’t be just Brazen… he’s going to need a lot of help in his life”

“Mom… Can’t you do a special medicine for him? Even if it can’t cure him permanently… Can’t you make something so he doesn’t need that much help?”

“I’ve been investigating for a solution, yes; I’m trying to make something effective to help your brother a little bit”

“It’s just that we don’t have anything that he can take yet, that’s why we didn’t mention it” said Momo.

“What about dad? Dad can’t make something?” Bruise asked as he stared at the small monkey on Momo’s shoulder. Momo shook his head, he was sorry for not being able to offer a solution.

“Bruise, the things I do are because of Jomo. Jomo hasn’t been able to find a cure… but we are working on that” said Momo. Bruise looked at Momo with sadness and nodded without knowing what else to say.

“I understand… I’ll leave Barricade to think about this for a while, I will talk to him later” said Bruise “But now I just want to know something…”

“What is it?” Asked Momo and Her.

“What’s up with Brazen’s condition? You haven’t told me anything about it, not even Barricade knows” said Bruise “We’ve grown together all these years and Brazen is still the same, yes, he sits but… Shouldn’t we know what’s happening with him? I know it’s nothing good but I still don’t know and I…”

“This isn’t because I don’t want to tell you, Bruise, but… I would like to know myself why he doesn’t grow” said Her “Even today, it’s still a mystery for us”

“What…? After all this time… You still don’t know anything about him?” Bruise asked while sounding shocked. How could they not know anything? “No, mom… don’t lie, not about Brazen”

“They’re not lies, bruise, we can tell you what we know of what we’ve observed, what we think and assume about him… but there’s nothing I know for certain” said Her. Bruise nodded to this.

“I don’t know, Bruise, it’s like with your brother… there’s things that are better not knowing”

“As sad as it was, Barricade needed to know, mom” said Bruise “I don’t think there’s anything we shouldn’t know, I don’t think that hiding things is okay… I really wanted to tell him about it when we went for the fruits and vegetables… although it seems I didn’t know the severity of it”

“You just have to know that what you ae about to hear is really delicate… it’s possible you end in a state similar to Barricade’s if not worse” said Momo “Actually, it’s one of those cases I agree with Her, I don’t know what’s the good thing of you knowing that”

“What’s the good thing? Brazen is my brother! We must know what’s going on with him! Even if the truth can intimidate me… I already know he is not like us” said Bruise as he looked away.  Momo and Her looked intrigued about what he had just said.

“Different? How so?” Momo asked. Bruise sighed, his parents probably already knew.

“It’s just… Brazen does weird things, he looks at me with malice, he laughs at me… I even saw him mutate to a weird dark thing” said Bruise. Her and Momo exchanged looks, looks that were impossible to interpret. “What?”

“We don’t know anything about him mutating to something dark, but… we have witnessed actions that could look like what you saw…” Momo explained looking thoughtful. “It’s possible you changed the experience of seeing something traumatic to something you could understand”

“Huh? Why would I twist reality in that way? I’m sure of what I saw… well, at least that’s what I think since I only saw him that day” said Bruise. “But, what are you talking about?”

“Bruise, I’m repeating this to you, it is not like with Barricade, it can impact you severely” said Her. Bruise looked terrified at his mom, what was she trying to say?

“Mom, there’s no way I don’t want to know… I’m scared thanks to what you just sad… what’s going on with him? Explain!” Bruise exclaimed. Her and Momo now looked concerned, thing that only worked to frustrate the blond more. “Is something happening right now? Is that why you don’t want to say? If it’s like that then I have to tell Barricade!”

“Bruise, I believe you witnessed something scary, I think that’s the truth considering what you are saying…” said Her. “You didn’t know how to process it and preferred to think that he mutated into something”

“But why would I do something like that?!” Bruise shouted. He didn’t understand, he didn’t understand where they were going with this.

“That’s why you feel insecure around him; you don’t want to grow fonder of him…” Momo added. What the hell were they talking about? “Now that you told us this, everything makes sense… we are sorry, bruise”

“What? Why are you apologizing now?” Bruise stepped back with fear, why wouldn’t they stop confusing him? “Stop! Stop talking like that” What’s going on?! Tell me what’s going on with Brazen already!”

As he screamed this, their bedroom door opened. Bruise looked towards the sound and watched his brother approach them looking really upset; the skin under his eyes looked red, probably for having been crying and was now trembling for some reason. The orange haired stood in front of his parents and stared at them with worry.

“I heard Bruise’s screaming… is something going on with Brazen?” Barricade asked.  If his younger brother was going through something, he couldn’t be depressed right now. Brazen came first.

“Barricade… we were talking about Brazen, it’s true” said Her “Your brother was asking us about his mysterious condition”

“And then they started saying things I didn’t understand!” Bruise exclaimed to Barricade, who looked tired but worried about what was happening. “They didn’t answer me and instead of that they started saying very suspicious things… I don’t even care about knowing of his mysterious condition. I just want to know if the snail is fine! Answer me!”

“Mom…?” Barricade looked at Her who kept looking away from him. “Mom?” Barricade prompted with a more serious tone. “Mom…!”

“Brazen… we don’t know if he’ll be okay” said Her finally. Barricade and Bruise remained quiet after that, they were paralyzed just by hearing those words. “When you boys left for Viletown… your brother began throwing up. Brazen’s vomit isn’t normal, it’s not what you guys would vomit for feeling sick… his vomit is the equivalent of vomiting blood”

“Brazen is vomiting blood…?” Barricade asked, his face devoid of emotion: he was just frozen in place.

“You don’t know if he’ll be fine? Why? Aren’t you two trying to cure him?” Bruise asked sounding really nervous.

“He is in a small incubator right now, we are doing the best we can so he gets better…” said Her as she tried to avoid using more sensitive words.

“In these five years you’ve grown, we’ve been monitoring Brazen. We noticed from the beginning that he needed more things than you two to keep him stable” Momo explained “Brazen gets sick really easily, that’s why he requires the special formula you guys give him”

“We never really explained to you two what was happening but it was because we considered you really young to understand, we still do… I feel bad for telling you all this” explained Her. Bruise and Barricade didn’t seem to move or react to what they were listening.

“Mom, I’m interested in knowing about the special formula and all that, but… right now, I just want to know if Brazen will be okay” said Bruise as he felt tears forming in his eyes, he was really nervous for what he was hearing. “Please tell me he’ll be okay, mom…” The blond looked at his mother pleadingly. “Please…”

“We don’t know, Bruise…” said Momo. Barricade felt how his breathing got stuck, he couldn’t but stare at nothingness in a weird trance where he couldn’t feel, he couldn’t think… he just existed… just like those painful, empty words.

The orange haired, after a few seconds, seconds that to him were like minutes, looked in the direction of his mother’s laboratory. Was Brazen there? Probably yes. Barricade, without thinking too much, headed towards the lab; ignoring his mother shouting, shouting he couldn’t discern.

“No…” Barricade murmured as he saw him, he couldn’t believe what was in front of his eyes… his happy brother, so full of vitality… was in that machine trying to survive. The orange haired covered his mouth as he felt his breathing turning erratic. “Brazen… Brazen! This c-can’t be…!” He sobbed as he said this in a faltering voice, a voice choked with emotion.

Bruise ran towards him as he saw him sobbing, as he stood aside of him, he then managed to see the regrettable state of his younger brother… making him break into tears as well.

“Brazen…! Brazen…!” Barricade screamed as he then saw in his mind how several painful scenes of events he didn’t recognize unfolded mercilessly, causing him an overbearing agony. “Not again! Don’t leave me! Don’t leave me! I beg you, don’t leave me!” Without knowing the origin of those words, Barricade accepted them as his without much difficulty.

Barricade was now going through a moment he swore had lived before. How? How was it possible to have gone through such pain before and not remember it? His brother was struggling to live, Barricade didn’t want to see him like this, he couldn’t stand not being able to do anything for him and having to wait for him to save himself… was for him something inconceivable; however, at these moments, he couldn’t do anything but trust that he’d be fine somehow and plead to life to not take away his brother.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: Sorry for the narrative changes, you see, there's a point in the story where I radically changed it and that's because I continued writing it way later (I still think it's a bit off with how I currently write, not a huge change, but yeah just saying, if you notice the style changes a bit in the next one... it's because of that reason). It will stay with this change, so yeah and also, a big apology for taking so much time to translate this x'D (for those who were wanting to read it) anyway, hope you enjoyed it! If you have any thoughts please share them with me, I love reading them! (Lenghty comments give me life //cries) I will always reply to you if you comment something I can reply to BD
> 
> Ps. English is my second language, so, if you notice something strange you can tell me and I can look into it so I can change it or not make the same mistake on the next chapter x'D


End file.
